To calculate the amount of child support, consider both parents’ income. You can use this Child Support Estimator. The information below will give you a better sense of:

• How the calculation works
• Factors that are important to it
• What information you will need to figure out support

Want something more visual?

Learn about calculating child support through our infographics:

• Calculating child support infographic - both parents have at least 146 overnights
• Calculating child support infographic - one parent has less than 146 overnights

Combined adjusted [no-lexicon]net income[/no-lexicon]

The gross income of each parent includes income from all sources, including:

• Court-ordered support (maintenance) from a current or former spouse
• Second jobs
• Overtime pay
• Holiday pay

Gross income does not include benefits received by the parent:

• From public assistance programs (e.g., TANF, SSI, or SNAP)
• For other children in the household (e.g., child support, survivor benefits, or foster care payments)

First, the gross income of each parent is converted to net income using this standardized income conversion chart.

Second, the two net incomes are added together to find the parents’ combined adjusted net income.

Example
Parent 1 (P1) and Parent 2 (P2) each have a gross monthly income of $5,000. The child lives with P1.
Based on the standardized income conversion chart, P1 has a net income of $3,850. P2 has a net income of $3,759.
Their combined adjusted net income is $7,609.

Basic support obligation

Basic support obligation is a term used to show how much money parents normally spend on their children.  The amount of money takes into consideration the income of the parents. The income shares schedule sets out this amount.  Look for the parents’ combined adjusted net income on the schedule to find the basic support obligation.

Example
P1 and P2 have a combined adjusted net income of $7,609.
Based on the schedule, their basic support obligation for one child is $1,215. (Schedule value for combined adjusted net income + number of children= basic support obligation)

Additional expenses

Other actual expenses are added to the general basic support obligation to adjust to the specific needs of a child. This includes the costs of:

• Child care expenses (e.g., after-school care, work-related child care expenses, or camps)
• Extracurricular activity and other school-related expenses
• Insurance premiums (not basic out-of-pocket medical expenses and health care needs not covered by insurance)

The sum of these creates the total support obligation.

Example
P1 and P2 have a basic support obligation for one child of $1,215.
P1 spends $84 per month on the child’s after-school care.
P2 pays $100 per month to keep the child on his medical insurance coverage.
Their total support obligation is $1,399.
(basic support obligation + child care expenses+ insurance premium = total support obligation)

The court may order life insurance to be purchased to cover child or spousal support. This ensures that there will be money to pay support in case the person paying dies.

Each parent’s share of the total support obligation

The total costs for support are assigned to each parent according to their contribution to the combined income.

Example
P1 and P2 have a combined adjusted net income of $7,609.
P1 has a net income of $3,850. This is 50.6% of the total combined adjusted net income.
P2 has a net income of $3,759. This is 49.4% of the total combined adjusted net income.

P1 and P2 total support obligation of $1,399.
P1’s obligation would be 50.6% of this, or $707.89.
P2’s obligation would be 49.4% of this, or $691.11.

Since the child lives with P1, then P2 owes P1 child support. In the example above, P2 owes P1 $691.11 per month. 

Shared parenting

Shared parenting is a term used when both parents spend a significant amount of time with the child. In shared parenting, both parents exercise overnight parenting time with the child at least 146 times per year. Sometimes, the parent with more parenting time must pay the parent with less parenting time.

To calculate child support for shared parents, start by finding the basic support obligation on the income shares schedule. Next, increase the basic support obligation by 150% (multiplied by 1.5) to estimate the shared expenses between the parents’ households.

Example
P1 and P2 have a basic support obligation for one child of $1,215.
Their shared parenting obligation is $1,215 X 1.5 = $1,822.50.

As before, the total costs for providing for the child are assigned to each parent according to their contribution to the combined income. That amount is then multiplied by the percentage of time the child spends with the other parent. The parent owing more child support pays the difference between the 2 amounts.

Example
P1 and P2 have a combined adjusted net income of $7,609.
P1 has a net income of $3,850. This is 50.6% of the total combined adjusted net income.
P2 has a net income of $3,759. This is 49.4% of the total combined adjusted net income.

P1 and P2 have a Shared Parenting Obligation of $1,822.50.
P1's share is $1,822.50 X .506 = $922.19
P2's share is $1,822.50 X .494 = $900.31

Now, we multiply each number by the percentage of the year the other parent spends with the child.
P1 spends 219 nights with the child per year. This is 219/365 = 60% of the year.
We multiply this percentage by P2's share, so $900.31 X .60 = $540.19 is P2's new obligation.
P2 spends 146 nights with the child per year. This is 146/365 = 40% of the year.
We multiply this percentage by P1's share, so $922.19 X .40 = $368.88 is P1's new obligation

Finally, we subtract P1's obligation from P2's to get the amount P2 will have to pay:
$540.19 - $368.88 = $171.31

Special circumstances

Deviation

Sometimes the judge will order more or less child support than required. This is called a “deviation” from the guidelines. A judge must explain in writing their reasons for deviating from the guidelines. For example, a judge may choose not to follow the guidelines when a child with special needs requires extra financial support.

Split care

Split care is when you have more than one child but do not have physical care of all of them. The guidelines for determining support are the same. You will have to do 2 calculations instead of one. First, find out how much you are owed for all the children living with you. Second, find out how much you owe for all the children with the other parent. These two amounts are offset. The parent owing more pays the difference.

Certain income thresholds

If the paying parent’s income is at or below 75% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (for a one-person family), the court will order a $40/month child support obligation per child. The total monthly obligation for such a paying parent is capped at $120. So, even if that parent is paying for the support of 4 children, the paying parent will only have to pay $120 every month—not $160.

If the paying parent has no income for reasons that are beyond their control, then the court will not require them to pay any support.  For example, they cannot work because of disability or incarceration. In that case, the judge will order them to pay $0.