The amount of money a custodial parent receives and a non-custodial parent pays in monthly child support varies from state to state and depends upon the facts in each case. Generally, child support is paid to the parent to whom custody has been awarded primarily, however that isn’t always the case. Child support may also be paid to the noncustodial parent who has visitation rights or spends significantly less time with the child(ren), but has low or no income, while the custodial parent has an income.

The family courts in each state follow statutory guidelines established by the particular state’s legislature to determine the amount of child support paid and thankfully, those guidelines have been simplified into standard calculations and automated cacluators.  Child support guidelines usually consist of rather complex formulas that take into consideration, many different factors.

Some of the factors taken into account in most states include the following:

• Number of minor children who need support


• Monthly incomes of the custodial and non-custodial parent


• Amount of court ordered support paid by either parent for child support or alimony for prior relationships


• Monies paid by the custodial or non-custodial parent for health insurance premiums


• Percent of time non-custodial parent spends with child(ren)


• Amount of court ordered child support or alimony paid or received by either parent from prior relationships


• Money either party pays for child care expenses


• Tax credits and deductions that affect either parent’s monthly income


• Assets owned by either parent that are or could be generating income

Factors considered vary from state to state thus it's essential to use your specific state's calculators when trying to determine the amount of support in your case.

To find an online child support calculator based on your state's child support guidelines select your state from the drop down menu below:

Select State   Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

The child support calculators estimated payments are not a guarantee of money you'll receive or pay nor are they automatically legally binding figures. The ultimate decision for the amount of child support to be paid must be made by your state court, court administrators, or hearing officer.

The benefit of using a child support calculator is to provide you with a general idea of the amount you may receive or pay, and the factors that are considered in your state.

Regardless of what the child support guidelines say, do your best to provide all you can for your child.

This article is not legal advice. You should consult an attorney if you have legal questions that relate to your specific divorce.The Modern Woman's Divorce Guide has no relationship with the organizations; agencies or programs listed above and does not endorse their services. We provide these links for your information only.

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