{
  "slug": "child-support-calculator-alabama",
  "title": "Alabama Child Support Calculator (Income Shares)",
  "heading": "Alabama Child Support Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/child-support-calculator-alabama",
  "summary": "Estimates guideline child support in Alabama using the income-shares model.",
  "description": "Estimates guideline child support in Alabama using an income-shares model: both parents' monthly incomes are combined, a guideline percentage (editable, representing a lookup in Alabama's statutory schedule) is applied to combined income to get a basic obligation, and each parent pays their pro-rata share of that obligation based on their percentage of combined income. Childcare and health insurance costs are added on top and split the same way. This is an estimate only, not legal advice — actual awards depend on the specific court, county guideline worksheets, and judicial discretion, and a judge may deviate from the guideline for good cause.",
  "formula": "Alabama income shares: basic obligation = combined monthly income × guideline % (schedule lookup); each parent pays their % share of combined income times (basic + childcare + health insurance).",
  "dateModified": "2026-01-15",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=child-support-calculator-alabama",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "incomeA",
      "label": "Parent A monthly gross income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "incomeB",
      "label": "Parent B monthly gross income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "children",
      "label": "Number of children",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 6
    },
    {
      "id": "guidelinePct",
      "label": "Guideline % of combined income (editable — represents the Alabama schedule lookup for this income/child count)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 20,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 5,
      "max": 40
    },
    {
      "id": "childcare",
      "label": "Monthly work-related childcare cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "healthInsurance",
      "label": "Monthly health insurance premium for children",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Total monthly child support obligation",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "basic",
      "label": "Basic obligation (guideline % of combined income)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "shareA",
      "label": "Parent A's share of combined income",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "shareB",
      "label": "Parent B's share of combined income",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "payorAAmount",
      "label": "Parent A's pro-rata amount",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "payorBAmount",
      "label": "Parent B's pro-rata amount",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Parent A monthly gross income: 5500 $",
      "Parent B monthly gross income: 3500 $",
      "Number of children: 2",
      "Guideline % of combined income (editable — represents the Alabama schedule lookup for this income/child count): 20 %",
      "Monthly work-related childcare cost: 0 $",
      "Monthly health insurance premium for children: 0 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total monthly child support obligation: $1,800",
      "Basic obligation (guideline % of combined income): $1,800",
      "Parent A's share of combined income: 61.1%",
      "Parent B's share of combined income: 38.9%",
      "Parent A's pro-rata amount: $1,100",
      "Parent B's pro-rata amount: $700"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter parent a monthly gross income ($).",
      "Enter parent b monthly gross income ($).",
      "Enter number of children.",
      "Enter guideline % of combined income (editable — represents the alabama schedule lookup for this income/child count) (%).",
      "Enter monthly work-related childcare cost ($).",
      "Enter monthly health insurance premium for children ($).",
      "Read your total monthly child support obligation on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "incomeA": 3300,
        "incomeB": 2100,
        "children": 1,
        "guidelinePct": 12,
        "childcare": 0,
        "healthInsurance": 0
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "incomeA": 5500,
        "incomeB": 3500,
        "children": 2,
        "guidelinePct": 20,
        "childcare": 0,
        "healthInsurance": 0
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "incomeA": 8800,
        "incomeB": 5600,
        "children": 3,
        "guidelinePct": 32,
        "childcare": 0,
        "healthInsurance": 0
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What model does Alabama use for child support?",
      "a": "Alabama uses an income-shares model: both parents' incomes are combined, a schedule amount is applied, and each parent pays a share proportional to their percentage of combined income."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does Alabama's guideline still use a fixed schedule?",
      "a": "Alabama's Rule 32 guidelines use an income-shares schedule with a combined-income cap above which the court has discretion to set support beyond the guideline table."
    },
    {
      "q": "Where does the guideline percentage in this calculator come from?",
      "a": "It's an editable input that stands in for the amount you'd look up in Alabama's statutory child support schedule table for your combined income and number of children — the schedule isn't a single flat percentage, so adjust it to match your state's table."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this number what a Alabama court will order?",
      "a": "This is an estimate only, not legal advice — actual awards depend on the specific court, county guideline worksheets, and judicial discretion, and a judge may deviate from the guideline for good cause."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/alimony-calculator-alabama"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Alabama Child Support Calculator (Income Shares) (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/child-support-calculator-alabama)"
}