Child Support & Alimony Guide (2026): Calculations, Laws, and Modifications
A plain-language guide to child support calculations, alimony types, enforcement, and state-by-state guidelines.
Created to help people understand support obligations in plain language. Laws and procedures vary by state.
Support at a Glance
~$5,200
Average annual child support per case
~13.9M
Custodial parents in the U.S.
41 states
Use the income-shares model
50 states
Each with unique support formulas
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
What This Guide Includes
- How child support is calculated
- Alimony types and duration
- Filing for and modifying support
- Enforcement and collections
- State-by-state guidelines and formulas
- Support calculators and tools
This page is designed as a starting point before speaking with a lawyer.
Support Planning Tools
Use these free tools to understand your options and prepare for the support process.
Child Support Calculator
Estimate monthly payments based on income, custody split, and number of children.
Learn more →Child Support Guidelines
Compare child support models, formulas, and guidelines across all 50 states.
Learn more →Child Support by State
Explore child support amounts, enforcement, and resources across all 50 states.
Learn more →Common Questions About Support
How is child support calculated?
Can child support be modified?
How long does alimony last?
Support Laws by State
Child support formulas, alimony guidelines, and enforcement rules vary by state. Browse your state below for more specific guidance.
Detailed Guides and Articles
In-depth articles covering every aspect of support.
Child Support
Child Support and 50/50 Custody
Learn how child support works with 50/50 custody. Covers whether equal parenting time eliminates support, income disparity calculations, and state approaches.
Child Support Enforcement
Learn how child support enforcement works when payments stop, including wage garnishment, license suspension, contempt of court, and other legal remedies.
How Is Child Support Calculated?
Understand how child support is calculated, including the income shares model, percentage of income model, factors that affect amounts, and state variations.
How to File for Child Support
Step-by-step guide on how to file for child support, including where to file, required documents, establishing paternity, timelines, and enforcement.
How to Modify Child Support
Learn how to modify child support, including grounds for modification, the legal process, how courts decide, and state-specific requirements for changes.
Alimony & Spousal Support
Calculating Alimony in 2026: Formulas, Factors, and State Rules
Learn how alimony is calculated in your state. See actual formulas from NY, CO, IL, and MA, plus the factors courts use to determine spousal support amounts.
How Alimony Works
Learn how alimony is calculated, including the types of spousal support, factors courts consider, duration, tax implications, and state variations.
Temporary vs. Permanent Alimony
Understand the differences between temporary and permanent alimony, including duration, modification rules, and factors courts consider for each type.
More Guides
Child Support in South Carolina: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in South Carolina using the Income Shares Model. Learn about shared custody adjustments, the 109-overnight threshold, modification rules, and enforcement.
Child Support in Colorado: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Colorado using the Income Shares Model. Learn about Worksheet A vs. B, the 92-overnight threshold, imputed income rules, modification, and enforcement.
How to Modify Alimony: Process and Requirements
Learn how to modify alimony payments — grounds for modification, the court process, required documentation, non-modifiable orders, and state-specific rules.
Child Support in Missouri: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Missouri using Form 14 and the Income Shares Model. Learn about parenting time credits, overnight adjustments, modification rules, and enforcement.
How Cohabitation Affects Alimony
How moving in with a new partner can reduce or end alimony — cohabitation definitions, state-by-state rules, how courts evaluate it, and how to prove or defend against a claim.
Child Support in Indiana: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Indiana using the Income Shares Model. Learn about parenting time credits, the 52-overnight threshold, modification rules, and enforcement.
Imputed Income in Child Support: When Courts Assign Earnings
How courts impute income for child support when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed — factors, exceptions, vocational evaluations, and how to respond.
Child Support in Tennessee: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Tennessee using the Income Shares Model. Learn about parenting time adjustments, the 92-day threshold, modification rules, and enforcement.
Child Support in Massachusetts: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Massachusetts under the 2025 guidelines. Learn about income shares, the worksheet, deviation factors, college costs, and modification.
Child Support Across State Lines: UIFSA Explained
How child support works when parents live in different states. Learn about UIFSA, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, interstate enforcement, and modification rules.
Child Support in Arizona: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Arizona using the Income Shares Model. Learn about the 2022 guidelines, parenting time adjustments, older child increases, modification, and enforcement.
Child Support in Maryland: Guidelines and Calculations
A detailed guide to Maryland's child support guidelines under Md. Code, Family Law Section 12-204, covering the income shares model, shared custody adjustments, the multifamily adjustment, deviation factors, voluntary impoverishment, and enforcement.
Child Support in Washington: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Washington State using the Income Shares Model. Learn about the 2026 economic table expansion, deductions, modification, and enforcement.
Child Support in Virginia: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in Virginia using the Income Shares Model. Learn about the 2025 guideline updates, shared custody formulas, modification, and enforcement.
Child Support in New Jersey: Guidelines and Calculations
How child support is calculated in New Jersey using the Income Shares Model. Learn about guidelines, worksheets, modification, college costs, and enforcement.
Spousal Support and Alimony: Complete Guide
Learn how alimony and spousal support work, including types of awards, how courts calculate payments, tax rules, and modification options. Free 2026 guide.
Child Support for Self-Employed Parents in California
Learn how California courts calculate child support when a parent is self-employed, including income determination, business expense scrutiny, lifestyle analysis, imputed income, Ostler-Smith orders, and discovery tools.
How California Calculates Spousal Support
Learn how spousal support is calculated in California, including temporary support formulas, permanent support factors under FC 4320, the 10-year marriage rule, and how cohabitation affects alimony.
Florida Alimony Law: Types, Duration, and Recent Changes
Understand Florida's 2023 alimony reform (SB 1416), the elimination of permanent alimony, the four remaining types, duration caps, and how the new law affects existing and future cases.
Florida Child Support Guidelines Explained
A detailed guide to Florida's child support guidelines under FL Stat 61.30, covering the income shares model, net income calculation, time-sharing adjustments, add-ons, deviations, and imputed income.
Alimony in Georgia: Types, Factors, and Duration
Understand how alimony works in Georgia, including temporary, permanent, and rehabilitative alimony, the factors courts consider, the adultery bar, and modification rules.
Understanding the Georgia Child Support Worksheet
A detailed guide to Georgia's child support worksheet under OCGA 19-6-15, including the income shares model, Schedule A vs. Schedule B, adjustments, and deviation factors.
Imputing Income for Child Support in Illinois
Understand when and how Illinois courts impute income for child support, including voluntary unemployment, underemployment, and the evidence courts consider.
How Illinois Calculates Spousal Maintenance
Understand Illinois spousal maintenance under 750 ILCS 5/504, including the guideline formula, duration multipliers, deviation factors, and tax treatment after the TCJA.
How Michigan Calculates Child Support
Understand Michigan's child support formula, including how net income is calculated, how overnights affect support, add-ons for medical and childcare costs, deviation factors, and the Friend of the Court's role.
Spousal Support in Michigan: Factors and Duration
Understand how Michigan courts determine spousal support (alimony), including the Olson factors, types of spousal support, duration considerations, modification, the impact of fault and cohabitation, and current tax treatment.
North Carolina Child Support Guidelines Explained
Understand how North Carolina calculates child support using the income shares model under NCGS 50-13.4. Learn about the Guidelines worksheets, gross income, adjustments for health insurance and childcare, shared custody overnights, deviation factors, and imputed income.
Post-Separation Support and Alimony in North Carolina
Understand the difference between post-separation support and alimony in North Carolina, including the 16 statutory factors, how marital misconduct affects awards, and when alimony can be modified.
Child Support Until 21 in New York
Understand New York's unique rule requiring child support until age 21, including the CSSA formula, emancipation exceptions, college expenses, and how support changes at 18 vs. 21.
New York's Spousal Maintenance Formula
A detailed guide to New York's spousal maintenance formula under DRL 236(B)(6), including the 2015 reform, income cap, duration guidelines, temporary vs post-divorce maintenance, and deviation factors.
Alimony Duration and Types in Pennsylvania
Understand Pennsylvania alimony law, including the 17 statutory factors under 23 Pa.C.S. 3701, APL vs. alimony, duration guidelines, and grounds for modification.
Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines Explained
Understand Pennsylvania child support under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16, including the income shares model, support tables, adjustments for healthcare and childcare, high-income cases, and modification rules.
How to Modify Child Support in Texas
Learn how to modify a child support order in Texas. Understand the material and substantial change standard, the 3-year rule, how to file, and whether to use the AG's office or a private attorney.
Spousal Maintenance Eligibility in Texas
Learn about spousal maintenance eligibility in Texas, including the strict requirements under TFC 8.051-8.055, the $5,000/month cap, duration limits, the distinction between court-ordered maintenance and contractual alimony, and modification rules.
How Ohio Calculates Child Support
A detailed guide to Ohio's child support calculation, including the income shares model, the basic child support schedule, parenting time adjustments, and deviation factors.
Spousal Support Factors in Ohio
Learn how Ohio courts determine spousal support, including the 14 statutory factors under ORC 3105.18, types of awards, modification, and what to expect.
Alimony and Spousal Support: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about alimony — types, how it's calculated, duration, state laws, tax rules, and how to protect yourself in negotiations.
Child Support Arrears: Consequences and Solutions
What happens when you fall behind on child support — enforcement actions, penalties, how to resolve arrears, and options for getting back on track.
Child Support and College Expenses
Can courts order parents to pay for college after divorce? Which states require it, how costs are divided, and how to plan for your child's education.
How Long Does Alimony Last
How courts determine alimony duration — by marriage length, state guidelines, types of alimony, and when payments end.
Child Support for Special Needs Children
How child support works for children with special needs — extended support obligations, additional expenses, modification options, and protecting government benefits.
Child Support and Taxes
How child support affects your taxes — is it taxable or deductible, who claims the children, dependency exemptions, and common tax mistakes to avoid.
How Remarriage Affects Alimony
What happens to alimony when you or your ex remarries — automatic termination, cohabitation rules, the impact on the payer, and state-by-state differences.
Self-Employment Income and Child Support
How courts handle self-employment income in child support cases — calculating income, business deductions, imputed income, and preventing manipulation.
Alaska Child Support Guidelines
How Alaska calculates child support — the percentage of income model, deductions, modifications, and enforcement.
How Arkansas Calculates Child Support
Arkansas child support guidelines — the income shares model, calculation charts, deviations, and how to estimate your support obligation.
Colorado Spousal Maintenance Guidelines
How Colorado calculates spousal maintenance — the advisory guidelines formula, duration, factors courts consider, and modification.
Connecticut Alimony: Types, Duration, and Factors
How Connecticut courts determine alimony — types of alimony, factors considered, duration guidelines, and recent reforms.
Idaho Child Support Guidelines
How Idaho calculates child support — the income shares model, guidelines, deviations, and enforcement.
Iowa Child Support Guidelines
How Iowa calculates child support — the income shares model, guidelines, worksheets, and what affects your support amount.
Louisiana Child Support Guidelines
A detailed guide to Louisiana's child support guidelines under LSA-R.S. 9:315, covering the income shares model, gross income, the guidelines schedule, healthcare and childcare add-ons, shared custody adjustments, deviation factors, and extraordinary expenses.
Maryland Alimony: Factors and Types
A detailed guide to alimony in Maryland, including the types of alimony available, the 12 statutory factors courts consider, duration guidelines, modification rules, cohabitation impact, and recent trends in alimony awards.
Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines
A comprehensive guide to Massachusetts child support guidelines, covering the income shares model, gross income calculation, the guidelines worksheet, presumptive amounts, deviation factors, healthcare and childcare costs, parenting time adjustments, college support obligations, and how to modify an existing order.
Kansas Child Support Guidelines
How Kansas calculates child support — the income shares model, worksheets, adjustments, and deviation factors.
Mississippi Child Support Guidelines
A detailed guide to Mississippi's child support guidelines, covering the percentage of income model, statutory percentages, adjusted gross income, deviation factors, healthcare obligations, and modification.
Nebraska Child Support Guidelines
Understand how Nebraska calculates child support using the income shares model, including income calculation, the support worksheet, health insurance, childcare, deviation criteria, and modification rules.
New Jersey Alimony: Reform and Types
Understand New Jersey's 2014 alimony reform, the four types of alimony (open durational, limited duration, rehabilitative, and reimbursement), the 14 statutory factors, and how retirement and cohabitation affect alimony obligations.
North Dakota Child Support Guidelines
A detailed guide to North Dakota's child support guidelines under NDCC 14-09, covering the income shares model, net income calculation, guidelines schedule, healthcare and childcare add-ons, multi-family adjustments, deviation criteria, and modification.
Oklahoma Child Support Guidelines
A detailed guide to Oklahoma's child support guidelines under 43 OS Section 118, covering the income shares model, gross income calculation, guidelines schedule, healthcare and childcare add-ons, shared custody adjustments, deviation factors, self-employment income, and modification.
Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines
Understand how Rhode Island calculates child support using the income shares model, including gross income definitions, the guidelines schedule, healthcare and childcare costs, shared placement, deviation factors, and modification rules.
South Dakota Child Support Guidelines
A detailed guide to South Dakota child support calculations using the income shares model, including net income definitions, the guidelines schedule, healthcare and childcare adjustments, shared custody modifications, deviation factors, and how to modify a support order under SDCL Chapter 25-7.
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