Child Support
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215b — the guidelines amount is presumed, and a 15 per cent difference is presumed substantial
The state's child support and arrearage guidelines are considered in every determination of child support, and the amount they produce is presumed to be the amount to be ordered. Departing from it takes a specific finding, on the record or in writing, that applying the guidelines would be inequitable or inappropriate under the deviation criteria set by the Commission for Child Support Guidelines.
Who handles this in Connecticut: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Connecticut directory.
Eighteen and still in high school. Where an unmarried child of the marriage has turned eighteen and is a full-time high school student, the parents maintain the child according to their respective abilities, if the child needs it, until the child completes the twelfth grade or turns nineteen, whichever comes first.
Changing an order. A deviation of less than fifteen per cent from the guidelines is presumed not to be substantial, and a deviation of fifteen per cent or more is presumed to be substantial.
The guidelines themselves are adopted as regulations rather than written into the statute. How they apply to a particular household are questions for a licensed Connecticut attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215b — Guidelines to be used in determination of amount of support and payment on arrearages and past-due support
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-84 — Parents' obligation for maintenance of minor child. Order for health insurance coverage
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-86 — Modification of alimony or support orders and judgments
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Connecticut attorney.