Ohio child support arrears forgiveness

ESTIMATE — based on the rules Ohio published, checked October 2026. Only the agency can approve a reduction, and approvals are discretionary.

What can be reduced

Permanently assigned arrears reduced per an Agreed Entry: waiver can reduce to $0 with no payment required; lump-sum and installment tracks reduce by a stated amount per $ paid. Local CSEA director may approve up to $4,999.99 per case (lifetime max); larger needs state Office of Child Support approval. One waiver per case; no limit on compromise agreements. Agreement is final unless obligor defaults, defrauds, or mutual material mistake — then arrears can be reinstated

Who may be eligible to apply

• Obligors owing permanently assigned arrears (OWF/TANF, Medicaid, IV-E foster care assignments)
• Waiver is NOT available while a current support obligation is running on the case
• county CSEA must have opted in — "not every county agency has a Waiver and Compromise procedure in place"

Where to apply

Written request to county CSEA

Participation is decided county by county in this state — call your county office; no county list is printed because none is published.

The split still decides it

State-owed (assigned) arrears are the state's to compromise. Family-owed arrears can only be reduced by the other parent's voluntary, documented agreement — no agency can force it. Tennessee is the verified inversion: family-owed arrears are the compromisable slice there with court approval, and state-owed cannot be forgiven. If you do not know your split, the first move is a written request to the agency for the split as separate lines.

Interest and limits

Interest: this site's calculator runs Ohio principal-only — Ohio arrears generally do not carry the automatic interest some states add. If your own judgment states interest, the calculator can run it at the rate you enter from that judgment.

What no one can do: a judge cannot erase arrears that already accrued for hardship, job loss, or incarceration when no modification was filed at the time (Bradley Amendment, 42 U.S.C. §666(a)(9)(C)). Arrears are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.

Federal lines: arrears over $2,500 can be certified for passport denial or revocation; only the state agency can request a release, and release practice is set by the state.

Run the arrears decoder for Ohio

Source: Ohio Admin. Code 5101:12-60-70, -70.1, -70.3 — regulation text verified ◆ · Rules checked October 2026.