{
  "slug": "child-support-estimate",
  "title": "Child Support Estimate Calculator",
  "heading": "Child Support Estimator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/child-support-estimate",
  "summary": "Income-shares style estimate from both parents' income and parenting time.",
  "description": "Most US states use an income-shares model: combine both parents' incomes, apply a support percentage for the number of children, then allocate by income share and adjust for overnights. Every state has its own table, so treat this as a planning range rather than a court figure.",
  "formula": "Support = combined income × child percentage × payor income share, adjusted for parenting-time share and add-ons.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=child-support-estimate",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "incomeA",
      "label": "Parent A monthly income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "incomeB",
      "label": "Parent B monthly income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "children",
      "label": "Number of children",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 8
    },
    {
      "id": "overnightsA",
      "label": "Parent A overnights per year",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 110,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 365
    },
    {
      "id": "childcare",
      "label": "Monthly childcare + health add-ons",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 600,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "payment",
      "label": "Estimated monthly transfer",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "basic",
      "label": "Basic support obligation",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "shareA",
      "label": "Parent A income share",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "timeA",
      "label": "Parent A parenting time",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Parent A monthly income: 6000 $",
      "Parent B monthly income: 3500 $",
      "Number of children: 2",
      "Parent A overnights per year: 110",
      "Monthly childcare + health add-ons: 600 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Estimated monthly transfer: $982",
      "Basic support obligation: $2,375",
      "Parent A income share: 63.2%",
      "Parent A parenting time: 30.1%"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter parent a monthly income ($).",
      "Enter parent b monthly income ($).",
      "Enter number of children.",
      "Enter parent a overnights per year.",
      "Enter monthly childcare + health add-ons ($).",
      "Read your estimated monthly transfer 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": 3600,
        "incomeB": 2100,
        "children": 1,
        "overnightsA": 66,
        "childcare": 350
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "incomeA": 6000,
        "incomeB": 3500,
        "children": 2,
        "overnightsA": 110,
        "childcare": 600
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "incomeA": 9600,
        "incomeB": 5600,
        "children": 3,
        "overnightsA": 176,
        "childcare": 950
      }
    }
  ],
  "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": "Why does this differ from my state's worksheet?",
      "a": "States publish their own schedules, low-income adjustments, and shared-custody thresholds. This uses a generic income-shares percentage table, so it lands in the neighborhood rather than on the exact number."
    },
    {
      "q": "Which parent pays?",
      "a": "The higher earner with less parenting time is typically the payor. The figure above is the size of the transfer, not the direction."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Child Support Estimate Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/child-support-estimate)"
}