Child Support Guidelines by State (2026)
A comprehensive comparison of child support calculation methods across all 50 states — including guideline models, income thresholds, percentage rates, parenting time adjustments, and add-on expense rules. Sourced from state statutes and court rules.
Last updated March 2026 · Sources cited below each table
41
States use Income Shares
6
States use Percentage of Income
3
States use Melson Formula
4 years
Federal review cycle requirement
Based on current state statutes and court rules. This page provides statistical information, not legal advice.
Child Support Guideline Models
Every state uses one of three models to calculate child support. The Income Shares model — which considers both parents' incomes — is used by 41 states. Six states use a Percentage of Income model based solely on the noncustodial parent's earnings, and three states use the Melson Formula, which prioritizes each parent's self-support needs.
All 50 States — Guideline Model & Statute
| State | Model | Subtype | Effective | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Income Shares | — | 2023-06-01 | Ala. R. Jud. Admin. R. 32 |
| Alaska | Percentage of Income | flat | 2023-10-16 | Alaska R. Civ. P. 90.3 |
| Arizona | Income Shares | — | 2022-01-01 | A.R.S. § 25-320 |
| Arkansas | Income Shares | — | 2020-07-01 | Ark. Admin. Order No. 10 |
| California | Income Shares | — | 2024-09-01 | Cal. Fam. Code §§ 4050-4076 |
| Colorado | Income Shares | — | 2024-07-01 | C.R.S. § 14-10-115 |
| Connecticut | Income Shares | — | 2015-07-01 | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215a |
| Delaware | Melson Formula | — | 2023-02-01 | Del. Fam. Ct. Civ. R. 500-509 |
| Florida | Income Shares | — | 2024-07-01 | Fla. Stat. § 61.30 |
| Georgia | Income Shares | — | 2024-07-01 | O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 |
| Hawaii | Melson Formula | — | 2024-04-01 | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 571-52.5; 576D-7 |
| Idaho | Income Shares | — | 2022-07-01 | Idaho R. Fam. L.P. 126 |
| Illinois | Income Shares | — | 2017-07-01 | 750 ILCS 5/505 |
| Indiana | Income Shares | — | 2024-01-01 | Ind. Child Support R. & Guidelines |
| Iowa | Income Shares | — | 2022-01-01 | Iowa Ct. R. ch. 9 |
| Kansas | Income Shares | — | 2025-05-01 | Kan. Admin. Order No. 307 |
| Kentucky | Income Shares | — | 2023-03-31 | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 403.212 |
| Louisiana | Income Shares | — | 2025-01-01 | La. Rev. Stat. §§ 9:315-9:315.47 |
| Maine | Income Shares | — | 2021-10-18 | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A §§ 2001-2012 |
| Maryland | Income Shares | — | 2025-10-01 | Md. Code Fam. Law §§ 12-201 to 12-204 |
| Massachusetts | Income Shares | — | 2025-12-01 | Mass. Child Support Guidelines |
| Michigan | Income Shares | — | 2025-01-01 | Mich. Child Support Formula (MCL 552.605) |
| Minnesota | Income Shares | — | 2018-08-01 | Minn. Stat. §§ 518A.26-518A.78 |
| Mississippi | Percentage of Income | flat | 2009-07-01 | Miss. Code §§ 43-19-101 to 43-19-103 |
| Missouri | Income Shares | — | 2023-01-01 | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.340; R. 88.01 |
| Montana | Melson Formula | — | 2022-07-01 | Mont. Admin. R. 37.62.101-37.62.146 |
| Nebraska | Income Shares | — | 2024-01-01 | Neb. Ct. R. §§ 4-201 to 4-220 |
| Nevada | Percentage of Income | varying | 2020-02-01 | Nev. Rev. Stat. ch. 125B |
| New Hampshire | Income Shares | — | 2025-01-01 | N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 458-C:1 to 458-C:7 |
| New Jersey | Income Shares | — | 2025-06-01 | N.J. Ct. R. 5:6A |
| New Mexico | Income Shares | — | 2024-01-01 | N.M. Stat. §§ 40-4-11.1 to 40-4-11.6 |
| New York | Income Shares | — | 2024-03-01 | N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 240(1-b) |
| North Carolina | Income Shares | — | 2023-01-01 | N.C.G.S. § 50-13.4 |
| North Dakota | Percentage of Income | varying | 2023-07-01 | N.D. Admin. Code §§ 75-02-04.1-01 to -13 |
| Ohio | Income Shares | — | 2024-11-01 | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 3119.01-3119.24 |
| Oklahoma | Income Shares | — | 2022-11-01 | Okla. Stat. tit. 43 §§ 118-120 |
| Oregon | Income Shares | — | 2023-07-07 | Or. Admin. R. 137-050-0700 to -0765 |
| Pennsylvania | Income Shares | — | 2026-01-01 | 231 Pa. Code R. 1910.16-1 to -7 |
| Rhode Island | Income Shares | — | 2023-07-01 | R.I.G.L. § 15-5-16.2 |
| South Carolina | Income Shares | — | 2024-01-01 | S.C. Code Regs. §§ 114-4710 to 114-4750 |
| South Dakota | Income Shares | — | 2022-07-01 | S.D.C.L. §§ 25-7-6.1 to 25-7-6.27 |
| Tennessee | Income Shares | — | 2021-10-01 | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-02-04 |
| Texas | Percentage of Income | varying | 2025-09-01 | Tex. Fam. Code §§ 154.001-154.309 |
| Utah | Income Shares | — | 2023-01-01 | Utah Code §§ 78B-12-101 to 78B-12-304 |
| Vermont | Income Shares | — | 2024-01-02 | Vt. Stat. tit. 15 §§ 653-659 |
| Virginia | Income Shares | — | 2025-07-01 | Va. Code §§ 20-108.1 to 20-108.2 |
| Washington | Income Shares | — | 2026-01-01 | Wash. Rev. Code §§ 26.19.001-26.19.100 |
| West Virginia | Income Shares | — | 2023-06-01 | W. Va. Code §§ 48-13-101 to 48-13-803 |
| Wisconsin | Percentage of Income | flat | 2024-01-01 | Wis. Admin. Code DCF §§ 150.01-150.05 |
| Wyoming | Income Shares | — | 2023-07-01 | Wyo. Stat. §§ 20-2-301 to 20-2-315 |
Source: State statutes, court rules, and administrative codes. Cross-referenced with NCSL state-by-state comparisons.
Child Support Rates by State
The percentage of parental income allocated to child support varies by state and number of children. California and Georgia have among the highest effective rates for one child (~23-25%), while Mississippi and Wisconsin have lower statutory rates (14% and 17% respectively). Rates increase with the number of children, typically reaching 38-44% for five children.
Effective Base Rate for 1 Child (% of combined or obligor income)
Income shares rates are effective percentages at median combined income (~$7,000/month). Percentage-of-income rates are statutory flat rates applied to the obligor's income. Source: State guideline schedules and statutes.
Parenting Time Adjustments
Most states reduce child support obligations when the noncustodial parent has significant parenting time. The threshold varies dramatically — Indiana starts adjustments at just 52 overnights, while Illinois requires 146. Four states (Texas, New York, Mississippi, New Hampshire) have no automatic adjustment at all, leaving it entirely to judicial discretion.
52 overnights
Indiana
Lowest threshold in the country; credit begins at just 52 overnights
Ind. Child Support Guidelines § 6
73 overnights
Florida
Substantial time-sharing at 20%+ overnights (73/yr)
Fla. Stat. § 61.30(11)(b)
0 % of time
California
Timeshare integrated into algebraic formula; no minimum threshold
Cal. Fam. Code § 4055
146 overnights
Illinois
Shared parenting triggered at 146+ overnights (40%)
750 ILCS 5/505(a)(3.3)
No formula
Texas
No automatic parenting time adjustment; court discretion only
Tex. Fam. Code § 154.123
No formula
New York
No parenting time formula; CSSA applies regardless of custody arrangement
N.Y. DRL § 240(1-b)
Source: State statutes and court rules. Thresholds represent the minimum parenting time that triggers an automatic support adjustment.
Add-on Expense Rules
Beyond the base child support obligation, most states require parents to share additional expenses for childcare, health insurance, and unreimbursed medical costs. The most common allocation method is pro rata — proportional to each parent's share of combined income. A few percentage-of-income states include these costs in the base calculation instead.
| Allocation Method | Childcare | Medical | Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Rata (income proportional) | 46 states | 47 states | 4 states |
| Included in Base | 2 states | — | — |
| Obligor Pays | — | 2 states | — |
| Court Discretion | 2 states | 1 state | 46 states |
Source: State statutes and court rules. Education expenses (private school, tutoring) are discretionary in most states; only California, Georgia, New York, and a few others include them as standard add-ons.
Download the Dataset
All data on this page is available as free, open CSV files on GitHub — 6 datasets covering guideline models, income thresholds, percentage rates, parenting time adjustments, add-on rules, and minimum support amounts. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
View on GitHubFree to use with attribution · CC BY 4.0 License
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three child support guideline models?
How is child support calculated in an income shares state?
Does parenting time affect child support?
What is a self-support reserve?
Are childcare and medical expenses included in child support?
What is the minimum child support payment?
How often do states update their guidelines?
Where does this data come from?
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