Support in Tennessee

How Tennessee Calculates Child Support

Tennessee uses an income shares model established under T.C.A. Section 36-5-101 and the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines. The underlying principle is that children are entitled to share in the financial resources of both parents in the same proportion they would have if the family had remained together.

The calculation begins with each parent’s gross income, defined broadly to include all income from any source: wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime, tips, pensions, retirement benefits, Social Security, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, rental income, dividends, interest, and self-employment income (after reasonable business expenses). Courts may impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.

From gross income, certain credits are subtracted — including the cost of health insurance for the child, work-related child care costs, and support obligations for other children. The parents’ adjusted gross incomes are combined, and the guidelines schedule identifies the basic child support obligation. Each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined adjusted gross income.

For more detail on how this model works nationally, see our guide on how child support is calculated. You can estimate your potential obligation using our child support calculator.

Parenting Time Adjustments

Tennessee’s guidelines include a parenting time adjustment that reflects the number of days each parent has custody. The standard calculation assumes the non-custodial parent (the “alternate residential parent”) has fewer than 92 days of parenting time per year. When parenting time exceeds that threshold, the guidelines apply adjustments that can reduce the support obligation.

For equal parenting arrangements (each parent has the child approximately 182.5 days per year), the guidelines use a different calculation that accounts for each parent’s direct spending on the child and produces a reduced transfer payment from the higher-income parent to the lower-income parent.

Modifying or Terminating Child Support

Either parent may petition for modification by demonstrating a significant variance — typically defined as a 15% or greater difference between the current order and the amount that would result from applying the guidelines to the parties’ current circumstances.

Child support in Tennessee continues until the child turns 18, or until the child graduates from high school if still enrolled at age 18, but not beyond age 19. Support also terminates upon the child’s marriage, emancipation, or entry into military service. Tennessee does not generally require parents to pay for post-secondary education.

Enforcement of Child Support Orders

Tennessee has robust enforcement mechanisms administered through the Department of Human Services and the courts:

• Income assignment (wage withholding)
• Interception of state and federal tax refunds
• Suspension of driver’s licenses and professional licenses
• Liens on real and personal property
• Reporting delinquencies to credit bureaus
• Contempt of court, which can lead to fines or incarceration

Arrearages cannot be retroactively forgiven, and modifications take effect only from the date the petition is filed.

Alimony in Tennessee

Tennessee recognizes four distinct types of alimony under T.C.A. Section 36-5-121:

• Alimony in futuro (long-term support). Awarded when the disadvantaged spouse cannot achieve an economic status comparable to the standard of living during the marriage and rehabilitation is not feasible. This is periodic support that continues until modified or terminated.
• Alimony in solido (lump-sum alimony). A fixed, total amount paid either as a lump sum or in installments. It is non-modifiable once ordered and is often used to address specific financial needs or to equalize the property division.
• Rehabilitative alimony. Designed to support a spouse while they obtain education, training, or experience necessary to become self-sufficient. Requires a specific rehabilitation plan. The court prefers this type over long-term alimony when rehabilitation is feasible.
• Transitional alimony. Awarded to help a spouse adjust to the economic consequences of the divorce. It is for a fixed period and addresses the transition from married to single life.

Tennessee courts have stated a preference for rehabilitative alimony over alimony in futuro whenever practical. The goal is to encourage self-sufficiency rather than indefinite dependence.

Factors in Alimony Determinations

Under T.C.A. Section 36-5-121(i), the court considers the following factors:

• The relative earning capacity, obligations, needs, and financial resources of each party
• The relative education and training of each party and the opportunity to secure education and training
• The duration of the marriage
• The age and physical and mental condition of each party
• The extent to which one party has diminished earning capacity due to devoting time to homemaking, child rearing, or supporting the other party’s career
• The separate assets of each party
• The provisions made for property division
• The standard of living established during the marriage
• The contributions of each party to the marriage, including tangible and intangible contributions
• The relative fault of the parties, if grounds for divorce include fault

Fault is relevant in Tennessee alimony proceedings. A party whose conduct caused the divorce may receive less favorable treatment, though fault alone does not determine the outcome.

Modification and Termination of Alimony

Alimony in futuro, rehabilitative alimony, and transitional alimony may be modified upon a showing of a substantial and material change of circumstances. Alimony in solido, however, is not modifiable.

All forms of alimony terminate upon the death of either party. Alimony in futuro also terminates upon the remarriage of the recipient. Cohabitation is not an automatic ground for termination but may constitute a change of circumstances warranting modification.

When to Seek Legal Guidance

Tennessee’s four-part alimony framework and the court’s emphasis on rehabilitation over long-term support make early legal strategy important. If you are navigating a child support or alimony issue, consider scheduling a free consultation with an experienced family law professional.

Statutes referenced: T.C.A. Section 36-5-101 (child support), Tennessee Child Support Guidelines, T.C.A. Section 36-5-121 (alimony).