Columbus Child Support Attorney Helping Maximizing Your Rights
Last updated on February 18, 2026
When you get divorced, you are still legally obligated to provide financial support to your children.
Family law attorney Laura Helmbrecht provides clear guidance through child support matters, ensuring that you are treated fairly in this decree. Whether you will be paying support or receiving support on behalf of your children, she advocates to make sure that a fair decree is granted. Your child’s best interests will always be the utmost priority.
Work with an attorney who will safeguard the best interests of your children while protecting your rights. Call Laura Helmbrecht in Columbus, Ohio, for a consultation: 614-929-3164.
Customized Solutions In Child Support Matters
The state of Ohio has established statutory schedules that guide parents and courts in child support matters. These are based on family income, including sources of income of the mother and father, salaries, overtime, bonuses, investment dividends, interests and self-employment.
The incomes of both parents will be compared to costs for the child, including day care, health insurance, taxes, cost of extracurricular activities and any existing support orders.
The court will take into account the custody and visitation arrangement in place, including which parent will be providing primary custody and residence, as well as how much time the other parent will spend with the child on a regular basis.
Child support payments generally continue until the child turns 18 or graduates high school. In some cases, certain payments can be extended to support a child attending college.
Frequently Asked Child Support Questions
Do you have pressing questions about child support issues in Ohio? To help you start looking into your legal options, here are answers to a few of the questions attorney Laura Helmbrecht sees most often:
What happens if child support payments are not made?
Child support payments are a legal obligation from the moment that the order is issued. A parent who has been ordered to pay must do so. They cannot discharge these obligations through bankruptcy, and they cannot modify child support payments on their own.
Even if someone has a valid reason to seek modification, such as the loss of their job, they have to do so through the court. If the payments are not made, then legal action can be taken to force the parent to pay.
What legal options do I have if the other parent is not following the child support order?
If they are not following the child support order, do not take action yourself, such as threatening to withhold child custody rights or refusing to make exchanges. Always follow all standing court orders.
That being said, you do have legal options. The Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) in Ohio has the power to order wage garnishment, for example. In some cases, tax refunds will be intercepted, and the money can be rerouted to you to make up for missed payments. There are other tactics to seize various types of income, such as financial settlements, pension plans or lottery winnings.
The key is simply to look into all of the necessary legal steps while adhering to any child support or child custody orders that have already been issued.
Can I get back child support in Ohio if I am owed arrears?
Yes. If the other parent has failed to make child support payments in accordance with the order, they still owe those back payments. That obligation does not end simply because a certain amount of time has gone by or because they have made future payments.
You can still seek the child support you are owed, which may include using tactics like wage garnishment to force the other person to pay. Wage garnishment takes a percentage out of their paycheck, so it can take time to acquire the full amount that you are owed, but setting it up puts a plan in place to address any back payments that are due.
Talk To A Lawyer About Your Specific Concerns
Attorney Laura Helmbrecht provides individualized guidance through these decisions, always offering solutions that protect your best interests and those of your child. Call her today for a consultation: 614-929-3164 or contact us online.