Loan Child Support Calculator
A guideline-model estimate, with the model printed in full: combined income, a statutory percentage by number of children, and a pro-rata split between parents — plus pro-rata add-ons for health insurance and childcare.
The model: the percentages are the statutory schedule of the New York Child Support Standards Act (Family Court Act §413(1)(b)(3)) — 17% of combined income for one child, 25% for two, 29%, 31%, and no less than 35% for five or more — applied to combined parental income up to the statutory cap of $193,000 (in effect since March 1, 2026). Income-shares is the most widely adopted model family in the US, but your state’s percentages, cap, parenting-time adjustments and deviation factors will differ. Courts also adjust for parenting time, other dependents, and expenses this model does not see.
How it works
Income-shares logic: children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received in an intact household. Step 1: combine both gross incomes. Step 2: apply the statutory percentage for the number of children to the combined income (up to the cap) — that is the basic support obligation. Step 3: split it pro rata by each parent’s share of combined income; the paying parent’s share is the base support. Step 4: mandatory add-ons — health insurance and work-related childcare — are split the same pro-rata way and added. Above the income cap, courts decide the excess by statutory factors, not by the percentage.
Method & worked example
Method: Income-shares with the NY Child Support Standards Act schedule (FCA §413(1)(b)(3)): basic obligation = combined gross income (capped at $193,000) × statutory percentage — 1 child 17%, 2 → 25%, 3 → 29%, 4 → 31%, 5+ → ≥35%. Paying parent owes their pro-rata income share of the obligation, plus the same share of health-insurance and childcare add-ons. Estimate only; state rules vary; not legal advice.
Worked example: Incomes $72,000 + $48,000, two children: combined $120,000 × 25% = $30,000/yr basic ($2,500/mo); paying share 60% = $1,500/mo; plus 60% of $300 health insurance = $180 — estimated $1,680/month.
When to use this
- You want to understand how guideline support is structured before talking to a lawyer.
- You are planning a household budget around an expected order.
- You are comparing how income changes move the guideline figure.
- You want the add-on lines (insurance, childcare) priced into the estimate.
How to use it, step by step
- Enter both parents’ gross annual incomes.
- Select the number of children — the statutory percentage follows.
- Add monthly health insurance and childcare if they apply.
- Read the base obligation, the pro-rata split, and the add-on share separately.
- Take the number to your state’s official calculator for the legally operative version.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Gross incomes | Both parents’ annual gross income — the model combines them | Combined cap $193,000 in this model |
| Children | Sets the statutory percentage of combined income | 1: 17% · 2: 25% · 3: 29% · 4: 31% · 5+: ≥35% |
| Add-ons | Children’s health insurance and work-related childcare, monthly | Split pro rata, same as the base |
Another worked example
One child, incomes $108,000 and $36,000, childcare $800/month: combined $144,000 × 17% = $24,480/yr ($2,040/mo) basic obligation; the paying parent’s 75% share is $1,530, plus 75% of childcare ($600) — an estimated $2,130/month under this model.
Frequently asked questions
How much child support for two kids on $120,000 combined?
Two children = 25% of combined income. $120,000 × 25% = $30,000 a year ($2,500/month) as the basic obligation. With incomes of $72,000 and $48,000, the paying parent’s pro-rata share is 60%, so base support is $1,500/month. Adding their 60% share of $300/month health insurance ($180) gives an estimated $1,680/month, $20,160 a year — under this model.
What is the income-shares model?
The most widely used model in the US: estimate what an intact household with the same combined income would spend on the children, express it as an obligation, and split it between the parents in proportion to income. Most income-shares states publish their own economic schedule; this page uses the New York CSSA percentage schedule because it is a clean, citable statutory version of the same logic.
What happens above the $193,000 income cap?
The percentages apply to combined income up to $193,000. Above that, the statute directs the court to consider factors like the children’s standard of living, tax consequences, and each parent’s resources — support still rises, but by discretion rather than formula. This estimator flags incomes over the cap rather than extrapolating the percentage.
How are health insurance and childcare handled?
As mandatory add-ons, split pro rata — the same income shares as the base obligation. In the second worked example: one child, incomes $108,000 and $36,000 (75/25 shares), base obligation 17% × $144,000 = $2,040/month, paying share $1,530, plus 75% of $800 childcare = $600, for an estimated $2,130/month.
Does parenting time change the estimate?
In most states, yes — substantially. Shared-custody and split-custody formulas reduce or rework the transfer as overnights approach parity, and some states use a cross-credit between two obligations. This model assumes a primary-residence arrangement without a time adjustment; treat its output as the starting point courts adjust from, not the endpoint.
Why does my state’s calculator give a different number?
Because it is a different formula: different percentages or economic tables, a different (or no) income cap, different treatment of add-ons, deductions for other dependents, and parenting-time credits. The models agree on structure — combined income, a schedule, a pro-rata split — and disagree on parameters. Your state’s parameters are the law; these are illustrative.
Can parents agree to a different amount?
Often, subject to court approval — judges must find the agreed amount meets the children’s needs and usually require the guideline figure to be stated on the record along with the reasons for deviating. An agreement a court never approved is fragile. Any real arrangement belongs in a court order, set up with legal help.