Connecticut Child Support Calculator

Connecticut uses the Income Shares model. Connecticut's Income Shares guidelines define shared physical custody as substantially equal time with both parents; when one parent has 35% or more of overnights (128+/year), a different formula applies that accounts for both parents' direct expenses. A revised set of guidelines takes effect for new and modified orders filed on or after August 1, 2026.

Connecticut's guideline runs on net. That distinction matters: entering gross income into a formula built on net income (or the reverse) produces a materially wrong figure. Most states count income from essentially any regular source -- wages, self-employment, bonuses, commissions, rental and investment income, and many benefits -- not just salary.

Not necessarily. In Connecticut: connecticut's Income Shares guidelines define shared physical custody as substantially equal time with both parents; when one parent has 35% or more of overnights (128+/year), a different formula applies that accounts for both parents' direct expenses. Because the guideline also weighs each parent's share of income, a significantly higher earner can still owe support at an even time split.

Yes. The figure produced by Connecticut's Income Shares guideline is presumptive, not mandatory: a court can order a different amount when applying the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate for the specific case, and generally must state its reason on the record. Common grounds include extraordinary medical or educational expenses, a child's special needs, or costs the formula does not capture.

You have to file for a modification -- a change in your circumstances does not change what you owe on its own. Connecticut, like most states, requires a substantial change in circumstances: a significant involuntary income change, a change in the parenting schedule, or a material change in the child's needs. Until a court or the state child support agency issues a new order, the existing amount stays fully enforceable and arrears keep accruing, and a modification is generally not applied retroactively before the date you filed -- so filing promptly matters. In Connecticut, modifications are handled through CT DSS Office of Child Support Services.

Connecticut publishes it directly: "CCSG-1 Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines Worksheet — CT Judicial Branch". This site's calculator is a fast estimate built on the same published guideline, not a replacement for the official form -- a court filing generally requires the state's own worksheet. The link is in the Connecticut Resources section on this page.