California Child Support Calculator 2026
Estimate California guideline child support with the Family Code section 4055 formula. Enter each parent's net disposable monthly income, the number of children and the nights the children spend with Parent 1; the calculator works out K, who pays and the low-income range. Calculated privately in your browser.
Estimate only — the court or the child support agency sets the order. Official source: California Child Support Services guideline calculator.
California sets child support with the statewide uniform guideline in Family Code section 4055: CS = K[HN − (H%)(TN)], where HN is the higher earner's net disposable income, H% the share of time the children are with that parent and TN both parents' net disposable income. This calculator applies the formula and the K factors that took effect on September 1, 2024.
How California Child Support Is Calculated
Net disposable income is gross income less income taxes, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory union dues and retirement contributions, health insurance premiums and support already paid for other children, as set out in Family Code section 4059; the official calculator works this out from gross pay. K equals 1 plus H% (or 2 minus H% when H% is above 50%) multiplied by the fraction in the table below. The result is multiplied by 1.6 for two children, 2 for three, 2.3 for four, 2.5 for five and 2.625 for six. A positive result is paid by the higher earner; a negative result is paid by the lower earner.
| Total net disposable income per month | Fraction used in K |
|---|---|
| $0 to $2,900 | 0.165 + TN/82,857 |
| $2,901 to $5,000 | 0.131 + TN/42,149 |
| $5,001 to $10,000 | 0.250 |
| $10,001 to $15,000 | 0.10 + 1,499/TN |
| Over $15,000 | 0.12 + 1,200/TN |
Worked Example: California Guideline Formula
With net disposable incomes of $5,000 and $3,000, total net disposable income is $8,000, so the fraction is 0.250. The higher earner has the two children 91 nights a year (24.93%), which makes K 0.3123. Support is K × ($5,000 − 24.93% × $8,000) × 1.6, which is $1,501.92 a month, paid by the higher earner.
Timeshare, Low Income and Childcare in California
Timeshare is built into the formula through H%, so there is no separate overnight credit. If the paying parent's net disposable income is below full-time minimum wage ($2,929.33 a month at the 2026 state rate of $16.90 an hour), a low-income adjustment is presumed: support can be reduced by up to the guideline amount multiplied by the shortfall divided by that minimum-wage figure, and the calculator shows the range.
Childcare for work or job training and the children's reasonable uninsured health costs are additional support. They are divided in proportion to net disposable incomes after the paying parent's income is reduced by the guideline amount (Family Code section 4061). Health insurance premiums are already deducted in net disposable income.
Estimate Only: Who Sets the California Order
This page gives an estimate only — the court or the state child support agency sets the order, and either can depart from the guideline where the law allows. Before relying on any figure, run the same figures through the California Child Support Services guideline calculator. The governing text is California Family Code section 4055.
If your income, the parenting schedule or the children's needs change, ask the court or the agency to review the order, and keep paying the ordered amount until it is changed. Last updated: October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in California?
California uses the formula CS = K[HN - (H%)(TN)] in Family Code section 4055. HN is the higher earner's net disposable monthly income, H% is the share of time the children are with that parent, TN is both parents' net disposable income and K is the share of income allocated to the children. The result is multiplied by a factor for more than one child.
What is the K factor in California child support?
K equals 1 plus H% (or 2 minus H% when H% is over 50%) times a fraction that depends on total net disposable income: 0.165 + TN/82,857 up to $2,900, 0.131 + TN/42,149 up to $5,000, 0.250 up to $10,000, 0.10 + 1,499/TN up to $15,000, and 0.12 + 1,200/TN above that. These figures took effect on September 1, 2024.
How does parenting time affect California child support?
Time is part of the formula. H% is the approximate percentage of time the higher earner has primary physical responsibility for the children. The more time the higher earner has, the lower the support; if the formula gives a negative number, the lower earner pays the higher earner.
What is the California low-income adjustment?
If the paying parent's net disposable income is below gross full-time minimum wage ($2,929.33 a month at $16.90 an hour in 2026), a low-income adjustment is presumed. Support can be reduced by up to the guideline amount multiplied by the shortfall divided by that minimum-wage figure. The court chooses an amount within that range.
Are childcare costs added to California child support?
Yes. Childcare for work or job training, and the children's reasonable uninsured health costs, are ordered as additional support. They are divided in proportion to the parents' net disposable incomes, after the paying parent's income is reduced by the guideline support (Family Code sections 4061 and 4062).