Child support calculators by state
Virginia, Texas and New York today: one state for each of the main ways a guideline is written. Each calculator shows its formula step by step, with the law behind each step.
| State | Model | Income used |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia calculator | Income shares | Both gross incomes |
| Texas calculator | Percentage of net resources | The paying parent's net resources: wages minus federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare |
| New York calculator | Combined income, up to a cap | Both gross incomes, minus Social Security and Medicare |
The calculators
Each headline figure is the engine's result for that state's example family.
Virginia
Income shares
$650.28 a month, paid by the other parent
For 1 child; the parent the children live with earns $4,000 a month and the other parent $6,000, before tax; 146 days a year with the other parent; child care of $500 a month, paid by the parent the children live with.
Both incomes are added, a schedule sets what the children need, and each parent covers their share. Shared custody starts after 90 days a year with each parent.
Texas
Percentage of net resources
$1,239.21 a month, paid by the other parent
For 2 children; the other parent earns $6,000 a month before tax.
A set percentage of the paying parent's income after tax: 25% for two children.
New York
Combined income, up to a cap
$3,012.50 a month, paid by the other parent
For 2 children; the parent the children live with earns $8,000 a month and the other parent $12,000, before tax; child care of $1,000 a month, paid by the parent the children live with.
A percentage of both incomes up to $193,000 a year, split by income share. Above the cap, the court decides.
Every state at the same numbers
One family, every formula. A state reads only the parts of the family its formula uses, and the note under each table says which parts it leaves out.
| State | Guideline model | Support a month | Paid by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Income shares | $2,311.80 | the other parent |
| Texas | Percentage of net resources | $2,285.21 | the other parent |
| New York | Combined income, up to a cap | $3,012.50 | the other parent |
As the other parent's income rises
| Other parent's income a month | Virginia | Texas | New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $364.80 | $445.29 | $51.50 |
| $4,000 | $686.33 | $848.92 | $923.50 |
| $6,000 | $970.71 | $1,239.21 | $1,385.25 |
| $8,000 | $1,225.50 | $1,590.96 | $1,847.00 |
| $10,000 | $1,461.11 | $1,942.71 | $2,233.80 |
| $12,000 | $1,711.80 | $2,285.21 | $2,412.50 |
| $15,000 | $2,054.35 | $2,797.83 | $2,622.28 |