Support in Utah

How Utah Calculates Child Support

Utah uses an income shares model for child support, codified in Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 12. The model reflects the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received had the family remained intact.

The calculation starts with each parent’s adjusted gross income. Gross income includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, pensions, Social Security benefits, trust income, rental income, business income, and other sources. Adjustments are made for alimony paid or received and for the natural or adopted children of either parent who are not subject to the current support order.

The parents’ combined adjusted gross income is applied to the child support obligation table published by the Office of Recovery Services under Utah Code Section 78B-12-301. The table produces a base support obligation, which is then divided proportionally between the parents based on their share of the combined income. The parent without primary physical custody typically pays their share to the custodial parent.

For more on how income shares models work, see our guide on how child support is calculated. You can also estimate your potential obligation using our child support calculator.

Shared and Split Custody Adjustments

When parents share physical custody — generally defined as each parent having the child for at least 111 overnights per year (approximately 30% of the time) — Utah applies an adjusted calculation. Each parent’s theoretical obligation is calculated, and the parent with the higher obligation pays the net difference to the other parent. This adjustment recognizes that both households incur direct expenses when the child resides with each parent.

In split custody arrangements, where each parent has primary physical custody of one or more children, the court calculates each parent’s support obligation for the child in the other parent’s custody and offsets the amounts.

Deviation from Guidelines

The guidelines amount is presumptive, but the court may deviate from it when strict application would be unjust, inappropriate, or not in the best interest of the child. Deviation factors under Utah Code Section 78B-12-210 include:

• The standard of living and situation of the parties
• The relative wealth and income of the parties
• The ability of the obligor and obligee to earn
• The needs of the obligor, the obligee, and the child
• The ages of the parties and the child
• Responsibility of the obligor for the support of others
• Extraordinary medical or educational expenses of the child
• Shared physical custody arrangements

When the court deviates, it must make findings of fact that justify the departure.

Duration of Child Support

Child support in Utah continues until the child turns 18, or until the child graduates from high school during the child’s normal and expected year of graduation, whichever occurs later, but not past age 19. Support also terminates upon the child’s marriage, emancipation, or entry into active military service.

Alimony in Utah

Utah courts award alimony under Utah Code Section 30-3-5. The court evaluates alimony based on several statutory factors:

• The financial condition and needs of the recipient spouse
• The recipient’s earning capacity or ability to produce income
• The ability of the payor spouse to provide support
• The length of the marriage
• Whether the recipient spouse has custody of minor children requiring support
• Whether the recipient spouse worked in a business owned or operated by the payor spouse
• Whether the recipient spouse directly contributed to any increase in the payor spouse’s skill by paying for education or training
• The standard of living at the time of separation
• The fault of the parties in the breakup of the marriage

Utah is one of the states that permits courts to consider marital fault when determining alimony. This means that conduct such as adultery, abandonment, or cruelty may affect the amount or duration of an alimony award.

As a general rule, the duration of alimony may not exceed the length of the marriage, though courts may deviate from this limit in extraordinary circumstances. Alimony terminates upon the death of either party, the remarriage of the recipient, or the establishment of a cohabitation relationship by the recipient as defined by statute.

Modification and Enforcement

Either party may petition for modification of child support or alimony by demonstrating a substantial material change in circumstances that was not foreseeable at the time of the original order.

Utah employs a robust set of enforcement tools for non-compliance:

• Income withholding (wage garnishment)
• Interception of state and federal tax refunds
• Suspension of driver’s, professional, and recreational licenses
• Contempt of court, which may result in fines or incarceration
• Liens on real and personal property
• Passport denial for arrearages exceeding $2,500
• Credit bureau reporting
• Bank account levies

The Office of Recovery Services within the Utah Department of Health and Human Services assists with establishing, enforcing, and modifying support orders.

When to Seek Legal Guidance

Utah’s child support guidelines and alimony framework involve detailed financial calculations and multiple statutory factors. The state’s consideration of fault in alimony determinations and its specific rules on duration make each case fact-dependent. If you are establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order, consider scheduling a free consultation with a family law attorney.

Statutes referenced: Utah Code Sections 78B-12-101 through 78B-12-302 (child support), Utah Code Section 30-3-5 (alimony).