Support in Arizona (2026)

Arizona’s Income Shares Guidelines

Arizona’s child support system is governed by the Arizona Child Support Guidelines, adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court under the authority of A.R.S. Section 25-320. These guidelines use an income shares model — one of the most common approaches nationally — but Arizona’s implementation includes several features that distinguish it from other income shares states.

The core premise is straightforward: children are entitled to the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family were intact. The Guidelines achieve this by combining both parents’ adjusted gross incomes, looking up the corresponding basic child support obligation on a schedule table based on combined income and number of children, and then dividing that obligation between the parents in proportion to their respective income shares.

What sets Arizona’s guidelines apart is the integrated parenting time adjustment. Rather than treating parenting time as a deviation factor (as some states do), Arizona builds the adjustment directly into the formula. When the parent with less parenting time has the child for more than approximately 93 overnights per year (roughly 25% of the time), the guidelines apply a formula that reduces the child support obligation to account for the direct expenditures that parent incurs during their parenting time. This built-in adjustment reflects Arizona’s strong policy of maximizing both parents’ involvement — a parent who exercises substantial parenting time is already spending directly on the child’s needs during that time, and the guidelines account for that spending.

Arizona’s guidelines also address income above the schedule’s maximum. For combined adjusted gross incomes exceeding the top of the guidelines table, the court applies the percentage at the highest income level as a floor and exercises discretion to set support at a level consistent with the child’s needs and the parents’ standard of living.

How Arizona Calculates Child Support

Arizona uses an income shares model established under A.R.S. Section 25-320 and the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. The model reflects the principle that both parents share a financial obligation to their children proportionate to their respective incomes.

The calculation begins with each parent’s gross monthly income from all sources, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, dividends, pensions, Social Security benefits, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, and spousal maintenance received. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income based on employment potential and local job market conditions.

After determining gross income, certain adjustments are made — including court-ordered spousal maintenance paid to a former spouse from another relationship, support obligations for other children, and the cost of the child’s health insurance and extraordinary medical expenses. The parents’ adjusted gross incomes are combined, and the guidelines schedule identifies the basic child support obligation. Each parent’s share is calculated based on their proportion of the combined income.

The Arizona Child Support Guidelines also account for parenting time adjustments. When the non-custodial parent has the child for more than a specified number of days, the obligation is reduced to reflect the direct costs that parent incurs during their custodial time.

For a general overview of how this model works, see our guide on how child support is calculated. You can also estimate your potential obligation with our child support calculator.

Key Additions to the Basic Obligation

Beyond the basic support amount, the Arizona Guidelines require allocation of several additional costs:

• Health insurance premiums for the child
• Extraordinary child care costs related to employment or job training
• Extraordinary education expenses agreed to by the parties or ordered by the court
• Extraordinary medical, dental, or orthodontic expenses not covered by insurance

These costs are added to the basic obligation and divided between the parents in proportion to their income shares.

Modifying or Terminating Child Support

Either parent may request a modification by filing a petition showing a substantial and continuing change of circumstances. Arizona also allows modification if application of the current guidelines would produce an amount that differs from the existing order by 15% or more.

Child support in Arizona continues until the child turns 18, or until the child graduates from high school if still enrolled and under age 19. Support also terminates if the child marries, is emancipated by court order, or enters active military duty.

Enforcement of Child Support Orders

Arizona’s Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) has robust enforcement mechanisms, including:

• Income withholding orders
• Interception of state and federal tax refunds
• Suspension or denial of driver’s licenses, professional licenses, and recreational licenses
• Liens against real and personal property
• Passport denial for arrearages exceeding $2,500
• Contempt of court, which may result in fines or jail time

Arrearages in Arizona accrue interest at 10% per year, and past-due amounts cannot be retroactively forgiven.

Spousal Maintenance in Arizona

Arizona uses the term “spousal maintenance” rather than alimony. Unlike child support, there is no formulaic guideline — the court exercises discretion based on the facts of each case. The threshold question, however, is governed by A.R.S. Section 25-319, which requires the requesting spouse to first demonstrate eligibility.

A spouse may be eligible for maintenance if they can show that they:

• Lack sufficient property, including community property apportioned to them, to provide for reasonable needs
• Are unable to be self-sufficient through appropriate employment, or are the custodian of a child whose age or condition makes outside employment inappropriate
• Contributed to the educational opportunities of the other spouse
• Had a marriage of long duration and are of an age that may preclude gaining adequate employment

This eligibility threshold is a critical step. Without meeting at least one of these criteria, the court will not proceed to consider a maintenance award.

Factors in Spousal Maintenance Awards

Once eligibility is established, the court considers the factors in A.R.S. Section 25-319(B) to determine the amount and duration of maintenance:

• The standard of living established during the marriage
• The duration of the marriage
• The age, employment history, earning ability, and physical and emotional condition of the requesting spouse
• The ability of the paying spouse to meet their own needs while paying maintenance
• The comparative financial resources of the spouses, including earning abilities in the labor market
• The contribution of the requesting spouse as a homemaker
• The extent to which the requesting spouse reduced their income or career opportunities for the benefit of the other spouse
• The ability of both parties to contribute to the future educational costs of minor children
• Excessive or abnormal expenditures, destruction, concealment, or fraudulent disposition of community property
• The costs of health insurance for the requesting spouse

Arizona does not have statutory durational guidelines, but courts frequently look to the length of the marriage as a primary factor in setting the duration of a maintenance award.

When to Seek Legal Guidance

Arizona’s requirement that a spouse prove eligibility for maintenance before the court considers an award makes these cases strategically important from the outset. If you are evaluating child support or spousal maintenance in Arizona, consider scheduling a free consultation to discuss your circumstances with a family law professional.

Statutes referenced: A.R.S. Section 25-320 (child support), Arizona Child Support Guidelines, A.R.S. Section 25-319 (spousal maintenance).

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Arizona?

Arizona uses the income shares model under A.R.S. Section 25-320 and the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. Both parents’ gross monthly incomes are combined, and the guidelines schedule identifies the basic support obligation based on combined income and number of children. Each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income. The guidelines also include parenting time adjustments that reduce the obligation when the non-custodial parent has the child for more than a specified number of days.

How long does child support last in Arizona?

Child support continues until the child turns 18, or until the child graduates from high school if still enrolled and under age 19. Support also terminates if the child marries, is emancipated by court order, or enters active military duty.

What is the threshold for modifying child support in Arizona?

Either parent may petition for modification by showing a substantial and continuing change of circumstances. Arizona also allows modification if the current guidelines would produce an amount that differs from the existing order by 15% or more. Arrearages accrue interest at 10% per year and past-due amounts cannot be retroactively forgiven.

How does someone qualify for spousal maintenance in Arizona?

Under A.R.S. Section 25-319, the requesting spouse must first meet an eligibility threshold by showing they lack sufficient property to meet reasonable needs, cannot be self-sufficient through employment, contributed to the other spouse’s education, or had a long marriage that diminished their earning capacity. Only after meeting at least one criterion does the court consider the amount and duration of maintenance.

How does parenting time affect child support in Arizona?

Arizona’s Child Support Guidelines include a built-in parenting time adjustment. When the parent with less parenting time has the child for more than approximately 93 overnights per year (about 25% of the time), the guidelines reduce the child support obligation to reflect the direct costs that parent incurs during their parenting time. This adjustment is calculated as part of the standard guidelines worksheet rather than being treated as a discretionary deviation.

What happens if a parent hides income during the child support process?

Arizona courts take income concealment seriously. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed, underemployed, or failing to disclose income, the court may impute income based on the parent’s work history, occupational qualifications, prevailing job market conditions, and earning capacity. The court can also consider a parent’s lifestyle and spending patterns as evidence of undisclosed income. Deliberately misrepresenting income to the court may result in sanctions, an upward modification of support, and an award of attorney fees to the other parent under A.R.S. Section 25-324.

How This Guide Was Researched

This guide is based on A.R.S. Section 25-320 (authority for the Arizona Child Support Guidelines), the Arizona Child Support Guidelines as adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court (including the income shares schedule, parenting time adjustment formula, and deviation provisions), A.R.S. Section 25-319 (spousal maintenance eligibility threshold and award factors), and A.R.S. Section 25-327 (modification of maintenance and support orders). The 15% modification threshold and 10% interest rate on arrearages were verified against the published guidelines and A.R.S. Section 25-510. Enforcement mechanisms were confirmed through the Arizona Department of Economic Security Division of Child Support Services published resources.

Sources and Legal References

This guide is based on publicly available legal information and official sources, including:

• A.R.S. § 25-320 (authority for Arizona Child Support Guidelines: income shares model, combined adjusted gross income calculation)
• Arizona Child Support Guidelines (Arizona Supreme Court adoption: basic support obligation schedule, parenting time adjustment for 93+ overnights, high-income provisions)
• A.R.S. § 25-319 (spousal maintenance: four-part eligibility threshold, 13 factors for amount and duration determination)
• A.R.S. § 25-327 (modification of maintenance orders: substantial and continuing change of circumstances)
• A.R.S. § 25-510 (interest on child support arrearages: 10% per annum)
• A.R.S. § 25-324 (attorney fee awards in family law proceedings)

Official Arizona Resources

• Arizona Judicial Branch — Self-Service Center
• Arizona Family Law Forms

For more about how we research our guides, see our editorial policy and sources methodology.

Related Guides

Learn more about related family law topics:

• Child Support in Arizona: A Complete Overview
• Custody in Arizona
• Custody and Relocation in Arizona
• Divorce in Arizona
• Community Property Rules in Arizona
• How child support is calculated
• How alimony works
• Child support calculator