How to Calculate Child Support

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Child support calculations may vary by state, but you can estimate what you'll likely pay based on income and lifestyle variables.

Step 1: Add income
Calculate your net annual income – what you take home after taxes.

Tip
Courts often make divorcing couples fill out detailed financial statements to help them determine child support payments.

Step 2: Add alimony
Add any annual alimony payments. If alimony is received, courts may add it to your income. If alimony is paid, courts may deduct it.

Step 3: Calculate other child support
Calculate any child support payments from previous children to develop an annual total. This may reduce the amount of child support you’ll pay.

Tip
Courts often consider a family’s standard of living before they divorced when establishing child support.

Step 4: Calculate additional child care needs
Calculate any additional annual child care needs. What these needs are and how much they cost may increase the amount of child support you pay.

Step 5: Look up your state’s child support guidelines
Go online and research your state’s guidelines for calculating child support. This will help you determine more exactly what you’ll pay.

Did You Know?
According to Census statistics, 84 percent of custodial parents are mothers, while only 16 percent are fathers.