Texas child support calculator

How does Texas calculate child support?

Texas Family Code §154.125 applies percentages to the paying parent’s net resources, rather than dividing a combined-income amount between both parents. This page uses the edition effective September 1, 2025, confirmed on October 15, 2026. Resources include wages, overtime, tips, bonuses, interest, dividends, royalties, and self-employment income (§154.062).

Allowed deductions include Social Security taxes, federal income tax under the statutory single-person assumptions, state income tax, union dues, and qualifying health insurance, dental insurance, or ordered cash medical support (§154.062). Nondiscretionary retirement contributions are deductible when the paying parent does not pay Social Security taxes (§154.062). The Office of the Attorney General publishes tax charts for computing net resources, including the 2026 charts (§154.061).

For monthly net resources at or above $1,000, the guideline percentages are 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five; for six or more, support is not less than the five-child amount (§154.125). These percentages apply within the $11,700 monthly net-resources cap (§154.125). Above that cap, TexasLawHelp.org explains that a judge may order additional support based on the parents’ income and the child’s proven needs (§154.126). Lower percentages and multiple-family adjustments are explained below.

Does shared custody change the calculation?

Texas has no automatic parenting-time adjustment in the formula (§154.125). No overnight, day, or percentage threshold triggers a different calculation. Equal parenting time therefore does not automatically eliminate support.

TexasLawHelp.org explains that a court may consider the custody and visitation arrangement, along with travel expenses, when deciding whether to depart from the guideline (§154.123). Separately, the court may consider time with the child when evaluating circumstances for imputing income—assigning income for support purposes (§154.0655). These are court considerations, not automatic parenting-time credits.

What else changes Texas child support?

Other children, low income, and medical support can change the calculation or the total obligation. A departure from the percentage guideline requires findings explaining why the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate (§154.130).

• Other children: The calculation can account for children the paying parent has a legal duty to support, including children living with that parent. Multiple-family tables provide adjusted percentages (§154.128; §154.129).
• Low income: Below $1,000 in monthly net resources, percentages are 15% for one child, 20% for two, 25% for three, 30% for four, and 35% for five. For six or more, support is not less than the five-child amount (§154.125).
• Medical and dental support: Ordered amounts are additional to guideline child support (§154.183). The court gives priority to employment-based health insurance available at reasonable cost (§154.182).
• Shared insurance plans: When other minor dependents are covered, the insurance deduction is calculated by dividing the paying parent’s total cost by the number of covered minor dependents (§154.062).
• Other departures: TexasLawHelp.org lists the child’s age, needs, and expenses, each parent’s ability to support the child, and travel expenses among the court’s considerations (§154.123).

When does support end or change?

Support may continue until age 18 or high school graduation, whichever occurs later (§154.001). Support after age 18 for secondary education depends on enrollment and attendance requirements (§154.002). Emancipation or death can end support, while disability may support an indefinite obligation (§154.001).

For modification, the court may consider whether the guidelines show a material or substantial change in circumstances and whether modification serves the child’s best interest (§156.402). The court may also bring an order that does not substantially conform with the guidelines into conformity when modification is in the child’s best interest (§156.402).

For an official estimate, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, Child Support Division provides the Monthly Child Support Calculator. It estimates support from a single income source and warns that the court’s amount may differ. The agency’s Access and Visitation Hotline answers questions about support orders and modifications; TexasLawHelp.org provides free legal information.