Estimate child support payments based on income, custody arrangement, number of children, and state guidelines.
Child support is a state law, not a federal one, so the same family pays different amounts in different states. This tool walks through the inputs the states actually use: each parent's gross income, the number of children, how parenting time is split, and which state's guidelines apply, then returns a monthly estimate. The thing most people get wrong: most states base the payment on both parents' combined income, not just the higher earner's, and a 50/50 custody split does not automatically mean no payment when the incomes differ.
You supply each parent's gross monthly income, the number of children covered, the custody arrangement expressed as parenting time, and the state whose guidelines apply. From that the tool produces a monthly figure using that state's schedule. Most states use an income-shares model, combining both parents' incomes and splitting the guideline amount proportionally; a minority apply a straight percentage of the paying parent's income.
The result is the guideline amount, not a court order. It is the presumptive starting figure in most states, but judges may deviate for reasons such as extraordinary expenses, high combined income, or unusual parenting schedules. Health insurance premiums and child care are often handled as add-ons on top of the base amount, so the displayed figure rarely covers every cost in a real order.
Probably close, but not guaranteed. The figure reflects guideline formulas, which most states treat as a presumptive amount a judge may depart from for reasons the calculator cannot see, such as medical costs, travel, or high income. It is a planning estimate you can take to a lawyer, not a figure a court is bound to order.
Not automatically. When parenting time is shared but incomes differ, most states still order a payment, often by combining both incomes and splitting the guideline amount proportionally; some shared-parenting formulas reduce the amount for substantial parenting time but do not zero it out. The result depends on the state and on how the tool counts the custody split.
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