Child Support Calculator (State-by-State)

Estimate a monthly child support obligation under your state's official guidelines. Covers all 50 states & D.C. Pick your state and the form adapts to the right inputs.

Questions this answers — what you can actually figure out
  • How much child support will I pay or receive each month in my state?
  • Does having the kids 50/50 actually lower what I owe?
  • How does the order change if daycare or health insurance is added?
  • Why is the number different in income-shares vs. percentage-of-income states?
  • What changes when a second or third child is included?
  • Can a judge order something different from this guideline amount?

1 · Your State

2 · Incomes & Children

$
$

In most states the non-custodial parent (the one with less parenting time) pays support to the other.

Kansas sets different amounts by age group; older children cost more.

$

The portion of the children's insurance premium. Added on top and split by income share.

$

Daycare or after-school care needed for work. Added on top and split by income share.

Estimated monthly child support
$0

Why this number?

A judge can adjust this

This guideline figure is a presumption, not a fixed amount. A court can order more or less based on factors the formula doesn't capture — for example: a child's extraordinary medical, dental, or mental-health needs; special or private-school education costs; a large disparity in the parents' incomes or assets; a child's own income or resources; high travel costs for parenting time; other children either parent supports; or either parent's unusual fixed expenses. Deviations require the judge to put their reasons in writing.

Select your state to see an estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Close, but not guaranteed. Every state's guideline produces a presumptive amount, meaning the court starts from this figure. Judges can deviate up or down for extraordinary medical costs, special education, travel for parenting time, other children either parent supports, or a significant income/asset disparity. Deviations require written reasons. Use this as a planning baseline, not a final order.
Two models split the country. Income Shares (most states) combines both incomes and splits the obligation by each parent's share - the logic is that kids would have shared in both incomes if the family had stayed intact. Percentage-of-Income (Texas, Mississippi, Alaska, Nevada, North Dakota, Wisconsin) applies a flat percentage to just the paying parent's income. Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana use a third model (Melson) that reserves a self-support amount for each parent first.
Almost never. Even with equal time, the higher earner usually still pays - the formula recognizes the child should enjoy a similar standard of living in both homes. The shared-parenting credit lowers the amount but rarely zeros it out unless incomes are nearly identical. This tool applies the credit in states with a confirmed formula (DC, NM, VT, PA); in others it shows the baseline, and your actual order with significant parenting time will likely be lower.
It depends on the state, and the label on the income field tells you which. Income Shares states are mostly gross (before tax); some - Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California - use net. If you enter the wrong type, the estimate will be off by 20-30%. Pull the figure from your most recent pay stubs to match the requested basis.
A lot, deliberately. It does not model: spousal support / alimony, retroactive arrears, tax exemption assignments, college / post-majority support, child's own income, imputed income for a voluntarily underemployed parent, low-income self-support reserves below state minimums, high-income discretionary adjustments above the schedule cap, deviations for special needs or private school, or interstate cases where two states share jurisdiction. For any of those, you need an attorney or your state's official worksheet.
Each state's published guideline schedule, statute, or administrative rule - cited under your state's name in the form. Schedules are reproduced from official PDFs or codified tables; formula states (Texas, California, North Carolina) use the exact statutory formula. The reference date for each jurisdiction is shown when you select it, so you can verify it's current.
Both are add-ons in nearly every state - they sit on top of the basic obligation and are split by each parent's income share. Enter the children's portion of the health/dental premium (not the parent's own coverage) and any work-related daycare or after-school care. The paying parent's share appears on a separate line in the breakdown.
This calculator is for educational and informational purposes only. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and your state's published guideline schedule, and should not be taken as legal advice. Child support is ultimately set by a court using your state's official worksheet, which factors in items this tool doesn't capture. Always consult a qualified family-law attorney for decisions involving custody, support, or other legal matters.
Marty Math by MartinGoetzinger.com
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