Home Divorce Delaware Child Support

Delaware Child Support

Delaware Child Support

DELAWARE CHILD SUPPORT LAWS & REGULATIONS UPDATE 2023

A DECADE OF CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW OF DELAWARE’S CHILD SUPPORT LAWS AND REGULATIONS TIMELINE (2013-2023)

Delaware’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of children and families is reflected in the significant changes to its child support laws and regulations over the last decade. This article presents a concise overview of the key modifications in Delaware’s child support landscape from 2013 to 2023.

2013: Updated Child Support Guidelines

   – Introduction of updated child support guidelines to reflect evolving economic realities.

2014: Income Imputation Guidelines

   – Implementation of guidelines for imputing income when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.

2015: Shared Parenting Recognition

   – Recognition of shared parenting arrangements in child support calculations.

2016: College Expenses Inclusion

   – Inclusion of provisions addressing college education expenses in child support orders.

2017: Child Support Collection Enhancements

   – Enhancement of child support collection methods for efficient enforcement.

2018: Child Support Modification Streamlining

   – Streamlined process for modifying child support orders based on changing circumstances.

2019: Medical Expenses Allocation

   – Clear allocation guidelines for children’s medical expenses in child support calculations.

2020: Virtual Communication Consideration

   – Consideration of costs related to virtual communication between noncustodial parents and children.

2021: Child Support Payment Accessibility

   – Emphasis on convenient payment methods for child support, including electronic options.

2022: Regular Review Mechanism

   – Implementation of a mechanism for regular review of child support orders.

2023: Ongoing Adaptations

   – Continual refinement of child support laws to ensure relevance and fairness.

Delaware’s continuous effort to improve child support laws and regulations underscores its dedication to promoting the best interests of children and families. By addressing evolving needs and circumstances, the state ensures that child support proceedings remain equitable, transparent, and supportive for all parties involved.


Delaware child support authorities can locate missing non-custodial parents by searching through a number of databases and cooperating with federal and state authorities.

Non-payment of child support is typically achieved through the withholding of wages through wage attachment.

This may be achieved through cooperation with the IRS to intercept tax refunds. Delaware authorities will also seize property and report debts to credit bureaus to ensure that non-custodial parents meet their obligations to the children.

Child support services are provided by the Division of Child Support Enforcement office which maintains a number of locations throughout Delaware. Child support payments are determined by a formula that is simpler than other states with considerations for the net income of both parents, number of children, and the cost of daycare.

There are not mandated considerations for insurance and medical expenses. A judge makes the final determination on child support payments and can determine the final balance of payments as well as guidelines on how it should be spent.