Child support · California · Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share)
California child support calculator 2026
Under the California guidelines (statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share)), a parent with gross income of $5,000 a month paying support for one child to a parent earning $3,500 would pay about $1,016 a month, or $12,188 a year, before the court considers any deviation. For two children it is about $1,625 a month. Parenting time changes the amount in California, so the calculator asks how many overnights the children spend with each parent.
Rules checked against the California statute and guidelines (effective 1 January 2026) on .
One child, headline example
$1,016
a month
Two children
$1,625
a month
Model
Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share)
parenting time counts
A year, one child
$12,188
headline example
California child support by the paying parent's income
Guideline monthly support when the receiving parent earns $3,500 a month gross, with no health insurance or childcare add-ons and the children living mainly with the receiving parent. Net income is estimated from gross using the state's method.
| Payer's gross monthly income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $403 | $644 | $805 |
| $3,000 | $558 | $893 | $1,116 |
| $4,000 | $830 | $1,328 | $1,660 |
| $5,000 | $1,016 | $1,625 | $2,031 |
| $6,000 | $1,186 | $1,898 | $2,373 |
| $7,500 | $1,417 | $2,267 | $2,834 |
| $10,000 | $1,784 | $2,854 | $3,567 |
| $15,000 | $2,177 | $3,484 | $4,355 |
How parenting time changes California child support
Same incomes as the headline example ($5,000 and $3,500 a month, one child), with different overnights per year for the paying parent.
| Overnights a year with the paying parent | Monthly support |
|---|---|
| 0 | $1,016 |
| 52 | $875 |
| 104 | $664 |
| 146 | $442 |
| 182 (about half) | $214 |
Worked example, step by step
Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share).
| Step | Figure |
|---|---|
| Paying parent net disposable income (estimate) | $4,062.54 |
| Receiving parent net disposable income (estimate) | $2,938.70 |
| Total net disposable income (TN) | $7,001.24 |
| Higher earner’s net income (HN) | $4,062.54 (paying parent) |
| Higher earner’s time-share (H%) | 0.0% (0 overnights for the paying parent) |
| K factor: (1 + H%) × 0.2500 | 0.2500 |
| CS for one child = K × [HN − H% × TN] | $1,015.64 |
| Guideline child support a month | $1,015.64 |
What the guideline assumes
Net disposable income is estimated as gross minus federal tax (single, standard deduction), California tax (single), Social Security and Medicare, the children’s health premium and other court-ordered support. State Disability Insurance, union dues, mandatory retirement and hardship deductions are not included, and filing status or dependants change the real figure.
Also worth knowing
Uninsured health costs for the children are a further mandatory add-on, usually shared in the same proportion (§4062, §4061).
Also worth knowing
Guideline estimate only. The guideline amount is presumed correct, but the court can depart from it in the cases listed in §4057. Not legal advice.
Get the official figure
California publishes its own calculator, California Child Support Services guideline calculator, which follows the same guidelines with every input the court uses. Use it, and a family law attorney or the state child support agency, before relying on any number here.
Courts can deviate
The guideline amount is a presumption, not a fixed rule. A judge can order more or less where the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate, for example for high incomes, special needs, or an agreement between the parents that the court approves.
Guides and definitions
- Long term capital gains tax: 2026 rates, brackets and examples (Guide)
- Child tax credit 2026: amount, income limits and who qualifies (Guide)
- Earned income tax credit: who qualifies and how much you get (Guide)
- Child Tax Credit (The Child Tax Credit cuts US federal tax by up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17, with up to $1,700 refundable.)
- FICA (FICA is the US payroll tax for Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500 in 2026) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% over $200,000).)
- Marginal tax rate (Your marginal tax rate is the share of your next pound or dollar of income that goes in tax and deductions.)
- Standard deduction (The standard deduction is the fixed amount US taxpayers subtract from income before federal tax: $16,100 single, $32,200 joint for 2026.)
- State Disability Insurance (SDI) (State Disability Insurance is a payroll deduction that funds short-term disability and paid family leave; California takes 1.3% of all wages in 2026.)
Child support in other states
- Florida (Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined))
- Illinois (Income shares (750 ILCS 5/505))
- Indiana (Income shares, weekly (Indiana Child Support Guidelines))
- Texas (Percentage of the paying parent’s net resources)
All states compared · Enter your own incomes, children and parenting time
Common questions
How is child support calculated in California?
California uses the Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share) model. Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share). The court starts from the guideline amount and can adjust it.
How much is child support for one child in California?
It depends on income. With the paying parent on $5,000 a month and the other parent on $3,500, the guideline amount is about $1,016 a month. On $4,000 it is about $830, and on $10,000 about $1,784.
How much is child support for two children in California?
About $1,625 a month in the headline example, compared with $1,016 for one child. The guideline does not simply double for two children.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in California?
Not necessarily. Equal time reduces the amount, and if both parents earn the same it can fall to near zero, but where incomes differ the higher earner usually still pays something under the California formula.
Is this the amount a California court will order?
No. It is a guideline estimate from the published rules, with net income estimated from gross. The actual order depends on the full worksheet, the evidence of each parent's income and any deviation the judge allows. Use California's official calculator and get legal advice.
Sources and assumptions
- Gross monthly incomes as entered; net income for the formula is estimated with the state's standard method (single filer, standard deduction).
- No health insurance, childcare or other add-ons, and no support paid for other children, unless shown.
- California Family Code §4055 (guideline formula)
- California Family Code §4059 (net disposable income)
- California minimum wage (DIR)
- California Child Support Services guideline calculator
A guideline estimate, not legal advice. The court decides child support.