Disclaimer

Estimates, not court orders

Our calculators apply each state's published child support guideline to the numbers you enter. The result is an estimate of the guideline amount. The actual amount of support is set by a court or child support agency, and it can differ from our estimate for many reasons:

• Deviations. Every state lets a judge order more or less than the guideline amount when applying it would be unjust or inappropriate, for example because of a child's special needs or extraordinary expenses.
• Income determinations. A court may impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, or count income differently than you did.
• Rules we don't model. Some guidelines include uncommon adjustments that our calculator doesn't implement yet. We list these on each state's page under "Sources & Verification."
• Guideline changes. States periodically update their schedules, tax figures, and self-support reserves. We monitor for changes, but there may be a lag.
• Tax estimates. Where a state's guideline runs on net income, we estimate taxes from standard assumptions, which may not match your actual return.

Not legal advice

FamilyLawFinder is not a law firm, and nothing on this site is legal advice. Using the site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and change over time, and the right answer for your family depends on facts only you and your attorney know.

Before making decisions about a child support case, including signing an agreement, filing, or requesting a modification, talk to a family law attorney licensed in your state or to your state's child support agency. Many areas have free or low-cost legal aid for family law matters.

Verify against official sources

Every calculator links to the statute or official schedule it follows. Our Sources page lists them all, with the date each was last checked. If a result doesn't match the official worksheet, please let us know.

See also our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.