Your rights
How much is child support in Texas, and how is it calculated?
Short answer
Texas child support is a share of the paying parent's monthly net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four and 40% for five or more, applied to the first $11,700 a month. Below $1,000 a month the rates are 15% to 35%. Medical and dental support are added on top.
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Texas child support calculator: the guideline amount
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Uses only the numbers on this page, each from its official source. Nothing you type leaves your device. Not legal advice.
Key points
- The formula
- A percentage of the paying parent's monthly net resources, by the number of children: 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%. The other parent's income is not part of the formula.
- The cap
- The percentage applies to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources, since September 1, 2025. Above that, more only on proof of the child's needs.
- Low income
- Under $1,000 a month of net resources, the rates are 15% to 35%. With no evidence of income, the court presumes a 40-hour week at the federal minimum wage.
- Changing it
- After a material and substantial change, or after 3 years if the amount differs from the guidelines by 20% or $100.
Texas sets child support with a percentage of one parent's income. The court works out the paying parent's monthly net resources, applies the guideline percentage for the number of children before the court, and adds medical and dental support. An amount set this way is presumed reasonable and in the child's best interest; a court can vary from it only with findings. Fam. Code §§ 154.122, 154.125
This page goes deeper on Texas only: what counts as net resources, the Attorney General's 2026 tax charts, the low-income and multiple-family tables in full, the cap, medical and dental support, how long support lasts, the Child Support Division and its fees, paying, changing an order and enforcement. For how other states calculate support, see the child support guide.
How child support is calculated in Texas
- Work out the paying parent's gross income for a year, then a month. Wages, overtime, tips, bonuses, self-employment, rent and most other income count. See net resources.
- Subtract the allowed deductions to get net resources. Social Security and Medicare, federal income tax as a single person, state income tax, union dues, and the child's health and dental insurance.
- Apply the percentage for the children before the court. 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% or 40%, or the low-income or multiple-family rates, to net resources up to the $11,700 cap.
- Add medical and dental support. Health insurance, or cash medical support of up to nine percent of the paying parent's annual resources, and dental insurance of up to 1.5 percent.
The guideline amount is presumed right, but a court can vary from it if applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. The 17 factors include the child's age and needs, the time each parent has the child, child care costs needed to keep working, travel costs to see the child, college costs, and debts either parent took on. The order then states the net resources and the percentage used. A court may not make support depend on whether a parent allows visitation. Fam. Code §§ 154.122, 154.123, 154.130, 154.011
The Attorney General publishes a monthly child support calculator for a single source of income; it doesn't compute support above the $11,700 net resource amount. The calculator at the top of this page does the same arithmetic in your browser from the percentages on this page.
What counts as net resources
- Counted. 100 percent of wage and salary income, including commissions, overtime, tips and bonuses; interest, dividends and royalties; self-employment income; net rental income; and all other income actually received, including severance pay, pensions, Social Security other than SSI, VA disability benefits other than non-service-connected pensions, unemployment benefits, disability and workers' compensation benefits, gifts and prizes, spousal maintenance and alimony.Fam. Code § 154.062(b)
- Not counted. Return of principal or capital, accounts receivable, TANF and other federal public assistance, and foster care payments.Fam. Code § 154.062(c)
- Deducted. Social Security taxes; federal income tax for a single person with the standard deduction; state income tax; union dues; health insurance, dental insurance or cash medical support for the child; and, if the parent pays no Social Security tax, required retirement contributions.Fam. Code § 154.062(d)
- A new spouse's income. The court may not add any part of a new spouse's net resources, or subtract a new spouse's needs.Fam. Code § 154.069
The Attorney General's 2026 tax charts turn gross wages into net resources for an employed person: OAG 2026 tax charts
| Monthly gross wages | Social Security (6.2%) | Medicare (1.45%) | Federal income tax | Net monthly resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,256.67 (40 hours at $7.25) | $77.91 | $18.22 | $0.00 | $1,160.54 |
| $3,000.00 | $186.00 | $43.50 | $178.33 | $2,592.17 |
| $5,000.00 | $310.00 | $72.50 | $418.33 | $4,199.17 |
| $10,000.00 | $620.00 | $145.00 | $1,464.17 | $7,770.83 |
| $15,713.51 (the cap point) | $953.25 | $227.85 | $2,832.41 | $11,700.00 |
So a parent earning $5,000 a month gross has $4,199.17 in net resources, and the guideline for one child is 20% of that, $839.83 a month. A self-employed person reaches $11,700 of net resources at $16,890.74 gross. The charts are not meant for owners of pass-through businesses.
- No evidence of income. The court presumes income equal to the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour week: $1,256.67 gross and $1,160.54 net a month in the 2026 charts, or $232.11 for one child. This doesn't apply to a parent jailed under an order of more than 90 days.Fam. Code § 154.068 · OAG 2026 tax charts
- Earning less on purpose. If a parent earns significantly less than they could because of intentional unemployment or underemployment, the court may apply the guidelines to their earning potential. Incarceration doesn't count as intentional.Fam. Code § 154.066
- Self-employment and assets. Self-employment income is gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses, and the court can disallow depreciation or other items. It can also assign a reasonable deemed income to assets that earn nothing.Fam. Code §§ 154.065, 154.067
- What to bring. Each party gives copies of income tax returns for the past two years, a financial statement and current pay stubs.Fam. Code § 154.063
The guideline percentages, the low-income schedule and the $11,700 cap
| Children before the court | Net resources $1,000 or more | Under $1,000 | Most the guideline gives, at the $11,700 cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 20% | 15% | $2,340 a month |
| 2 children | 25% | 20% | $2,925 a month |
| 3 children | 30% | 25% | $3,510 a month |
| 4 children | 35% | 30% | $4,095 a month |
| 5 children | 40% | 35% | $4,680 a month |
| 6 or more | Not less than for 5 children | Not less than for 5 children | At least $4,680 |
The cap. The percentages apply to net resources up to the amount the Attorney General's Child Support Division last published: $11,700 a month since September 1, 2025. So the guideline amount is the percentage of net resources or of $11,700, whichever is less. The cap is adjusted every six years for inflation, rounded to the nearest $50, effective September 1. It rose from $7,500 to $8,550 in 2013, to $9,200 in 2019 and to $11,700 on August 15, 2025, effective September 1. Fam. Code § 154.125(a), (a-1) · OAG tax charts
Above the cap, the court applies the percentage to the first $11,700 and may order more depending on the parties' income and the child's proven needs, but never more than the greater of the guideline amount or 100 percent of the child's proven needs. Fam. Code § 154.126
The low-income schedule applies in cases filed on or after September 1, 2021. Fam. Code § 154.125(c) · OAG calculator
Children in more than one household
If the paying parent must also support children who are not in this case, the court can use the multiple-family table, which lowers the percentage for each child before the court. Rows are the number of other children the parent has a duty to support; columns are the children before the court. Fam. Code § 154.129(a)
| Other children | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children | 4 children | 5 children | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 40% | 40% |
| 1 | 17.5% | 22.5% | 27.38% | 32.2% | 37.33% | 37.71% | 38% |
| 2 | 16% | 20.63% | 25.2% | 30.33% | 35.43% | 36% | 36.44% |
| 3 | 14.75% | 19% | 24% | 29% | 34% | 34.67% | 35.2% |
| 4 | 13.6% | 18.33% | 23.14% | 28% | 32.89% | 33.6% | 34.18% |
| 5 | 13.33% | 17.86% | 22.5% | 27.22% | 32% | 32.73% | 33.33% |
| 6 | 13.14% | 17.5% | 22% | 26.6% | 31.27% | 32% | 32.62% |
| 7 | 13% | 17.22% | 21.6% | 26.09% | 30.67% | 31.38% | 32% |
At the $11,700 cap, the most the table gives a month: with 1 other child, $2,047.50 for 1 child, $2,632.50 for 2, $3,203.46 for 3, $3,767.40 for 4 and $4,367.61 for 5; with 2 other children, $1,872, $2,413.71, $2,948.40, $3,548.61 and $4,145.31; with 3 other children, $1,725.75, $2,223, $2,808, $3,393 and $3,978; with 4 other children, $1,591.20, $2,144.61, $2,707.38, $3,276 and $3,848.13. As above, the percentage applies to net resources or to $11,700, whichever is less.
Under $1,000 a month, the low-income version of the table applies: Fam. Code § 154.129(b)
| Other children | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children | 4 children | 5 children | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| 1 | 13.5% | 18.33% | 23.13% | 27.9% | 32.96% | 33.25% | 33.47% |
| 2 | 12.5% | 17% | 21.5% | 26.5% | 31.5% | 31.94% | 32.28% |
| 3 | 11.63% | 15.8% | 20.63% | 25.5% | 30.41% | 30.92% | 31.33% |
| 4 | 10.8% | 15.33% | 20% | 24.75% | 29.56% | 30.1% | 30.55% |
| 5 | 10.63% | 15% | 19.53% | 24.17% | 28.88% | 29.43% | 29.9% |
| 6 | 10.5% | 14.75% | 19.17% | 23.7% | 28.32% | 28.88% | 29.35% |
| 7 | 10.41% | 14.56% | 18.88% | 23.32% | 27.85% | 28.4% | 28.88% |
The other method. Instead of the table, the court can compute support as if all the children lived in one household, divide it by the total number of children to get a credit per child, subtract the credit for the children not before the court from net resources, and apply the one-household percentage. Support the paying parent receives for other children is added to their net resources. Fam. Code §§ 154.128, 154.070
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With other children to support: the multiple-family amount
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Uses only the numbers on this page, each from its official source. Nothing you type leaves your device. Not legal advice.
Medical and dental support, on top of the guideline
- Health insurance first. If health insurance is available through a parent's job or union at reasonable cost, the court orders that parent to cover the child. Reasonable cost means no more than nine percent of the paying parent's annual resources, for all the children together.Fam. Code §§ 154.181(e), 154.182(b)
- Otherwise, cash medical support. If no insurance is available at reasonable cost, the paying parent pays cash medical support of up to nine percent of their annual resources, in addition to the guideline amount. If the receiving parent carries the insurance, the paying parent pays its actual cost, up to the reasonable cost.Fam. Code § 154.182(b), (b-1)
- Dental insurance. Reasonable cost is a premium of no more than 1.5 percent of the paying parent's annual resources.Fam. Code § 154.1815
- Uninsured bills. The court divides reasonable and necessary health care costs insurance doesn't pay, including vision and dental, deductibles and copayments. Medical and dental support is child support and can be enforced the same way.Fam. Code § 154.183
The parent who carries the insurance must give the insurance information no later than the 30th day after receiving notice of the order. Fam. Code § 154.185
How long child support lasts in Texas
- Until 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later, if the child is enrolled and attends an accredited high school program, joint high school and college courses, or a private high school full time; payments can continue through the end of the month the child graduates. Fam. Code §§ 154.001(a), 154.002
- It ends earlier on the child's marriage, removal of disabilities, death, or enlistment in the armed forces, unless the order says otherwise. Fam. Code § 154.006
- An adult disabled child can receive support for an indefinite period if the child needs substantial care and supervision and the disability existed, or its cause was known, by the 18th birthday. Fam. Code § 154.302
- Back support. A court can order support for the past; limiting it to the four years before the petition was filed is presumed reasonable. Fam. Code § 154.131(c)
Getting an order: the Attorney General's Child Support Division
The Office of the Attorney General is the Texas child support agency. It can establish paternity, set and change support, and collect it. Applying online is the fastest way; call (800) 252-8014 to get a paper form by mail. Once a case is open, Your Online Account shows the case status, payments and court dates. OAG
- The Child Support Review Process. An in-office administrative process to establish, change or enforce support and determine paternity. The negotiation meeting usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. If both parents agree, a judge signs the order; if not, the case goes to a court hearing. Cases with family violence or a minor parent are generally not eligible.OAG · Fam. Code ch. 233
- Your rights in it. The forms come in Spanish and English, interpreters are free, and a parent can ask for a court hearing no later than the 20th day after a nonagreed order is delivered.Fam. Code §§ 233.003, 233.004, 233.023
- Paternity. The mother and a man claiming to be the father can sign an acknowledgment of paternity; once filed with vital statistics it equals a court ruling, and there is no filing fee. It can be rescinded before the 60th day or before a court case about the child starts, whichever is earlier.Fam. Code §§ 160.301, 160.305, 160.306, 160.307
- Fees. A $35 annual service fee in cases where the family never received TANF, charged each year the receiving parent gets at least $550 in support, and a $3 monthly State Disbursement Unit fee.Fam. Code § 231.103 · OAG
Paying and receiving child support
- Income withholding is the default. The court or the agency orders income withheld from the paying parent's earnings, and an order is treated as containing withholding even if it is left out. Eighty percent of payments come through wage withholding; until the employer starts, the parent pays directly. Fam. Code § 154.007 · OAG
- The limit. An employer withholds at most 50 percent of disposable earnings. For arrears, the extra amount clears them within two years or adds 20 percent to the monthly payment, whichever is faster. Fam. Code §§ 158.009, 158.003(b)
- Where payments go. Support is paid to the State Disbursement Unit, P.O. Box 659791, San Antonio, TX 78265, by check or money order payable to the Office of the Attorney General, with your 10-digit case number and cause number. Online or by phone at (855) 853-8286 the fee is 2.55%, and posting takes up to seven business days. Fam. Code § 154.004 · OAG
- Receiving it. By direct deposit or on the Texas Payment Card. OAG
Changing a Texas child support order
A court can change support in two ways: if the circumstances of the child or a person affected have materially and substantially changed, or if it has been three years since the order was rendered or last modified and the guideline amount now differs from the order by 20 percent or $100. Fam. Code § 156.401(a)
- Agreed orders. If the order came from an agreement that departs from the guidelines, only a material and substantial change can modify it.Fam. Code § 156.401(a-1)
- Not backward. A new amount applies only to support due after the other parent is served or appears in the case, so file as soon as things change.Fam. Code § 156.401(b)
- Jail. Incarceration for more than 180 days is a material and substantial change; so is release, if support was reduced during it.Fam. Code § 156.401(c-1), (d)
- Not reasons to raise it. Paying more than ordered in the past, or a rise in the receiving parent's lifestyle. Joint conservatorship by itself isn't a reason to change support either.Fam. Code §§ 156.401(c), 156.403, 156.405
Only a court order changes the amount. The Attorney General says a modification usually takes at least 6 months, and it contacts both parents within 30 days of a review request; if the review isn't approved, you can file a motion to modify in court. OAG
Date calculator · 2 situations
Your Texas child support dates: changing an order, or collecting arrears
Read from Family Code §§ 156.401 and 157.005 · checked Nov 1, 2026
Each rule comes from the official source linked in the result. It runs on your device: nothing you type is stored or sent. General information, not legal advice.
When child support isn't paid
- Each missed payment is a judgment. A payment not made on time is a final judgment for the amount owed, with interest.Fam. Code § 157.261
- Six percent interest. Unpaid support accrues six percent simple interest a year, counted as delinquent if not received before the 31st day after the due date. Payments go first to current support, then to arrears, then to interest.Fam. Code §§ 157.265, 157.266, 157.268
- Licenses. Driver's, professional, hunting and fishing licenses can be suspended when a parent owes at least three months of support and has failed to follow a repayment schedule. A hearing request is due by the 20th day after the notice.Fam. Code §§ 232.003, 232.007
- Contempt and jail. A fine of up to $500 or up to six months in jail, or both, for each violation. A parent can defend by proving they couldn't pay, had nothing to sell or borrow against, and tried to borrow without success.Gov't Code § 21.002 · Fam. Code § 157.008
- Attorney's fees. A parent who failed to pay is ordered to pay the other side's reasonable attorney's fees and costs.Fam. Code § 157.167
The Attorney General also denies vehicle registration renewal after more than 6 months without a payment, with notice 120 days before the registration expires, and uses liens and passport denial. It doesn't enforce visitation; its Access and Visitation Hotline is (866) 292-4636. OAG
Deadlines to collect. A motion for contempt must be filed by the second anniversary of the day the child becomes an adult or support ends, so within 2 years; a motion for a money judgment on the arrears, within 10 years. Fam. Code § 157.005
If you lose your job or can't pay
Unemployment benefits count as resources for child support, and the Texas Workforce Commission withholds support from them: a claimant must say whether they owe child support. Ask for a review or file to modify as soon as income drops, since a change is never retroactive. Keep paying what you can: the defense in an enforcement case is proof that you couldn't pay. Fam. Code § 154.062(b) · Lab. Code §§ 207.092, 207.093 See Texas unemployment benefits.
Free help in Texas
Common questions about child support in Texas
How much is child support in Texas for one child?
20% of the paying parent's monthly net resources, up to $2,340 a month at the $11,700 cap, or 15% if net resources are under $1,000. Medical and dental support are added. At $4,199.17 of net resources, the 2026 figure for $5,000 gross, that is $839.83 a month.
Is Texas child support based on gross or net income?
On net resources: gross income minus Social Security and Medicare, federal income tax as a single person, state income tax, union dues and the child's health and dental insurance. The Attorney General's tax charts do the conversion.
What is the maximum child support in Texas?
The guidelines apply to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources: $2,340 for one child up to $4,680 for five or more. Above that the court can add more only on proof of the child's needs.
Does the other parent's income matter in Texas?
Not in the formula: the percentage applies to the paying parent's net resources, and a new spouse's income is never added. The court can weigh both parents' circumstances when deciding whether to vary from the guidelines.
How do I change child support in Texas?
Show a material and substantial change, or that 3 years have passed and the guideline amount differs from the order by 20% or $100. Ask the Attorney General for a review or file a motion to modify; the change applies only from service.
What happens if you don't pay child support in Texas?
Each missed payment becomes a judgment with 6% simple interest. Wages can be withheld, licenses suspended after three months of arrears, vehicle registration denied, and a court can impose up to six months in jail and a $500 fine per violation.
Until what age is child support paid in Texas?
Until 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later, as long as the child is enrolled and attending. Support can continue indefinitely for an adult child with a disability that began before 18.
Official sources
- Texas Family Code chapter 154: child support (§§ 154.001-154.302, the guidelines and tables) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 156: modification (§§ 156.401-156.408) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 157: enforcement (§§ 157.005-157.268) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 158: withholding from earnings (§§ 158.003, 158.009) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 160: paternity (§§ 160.301-160.308) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 231: Title IV-D services and fees (§ 231.103) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 232: license suspension (§§ 232.003, 232.007) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code chapter 233: Child Support Review Process tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Government Code § 21.002: contempt tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Labor Code chapter 207: child support withheld from unemployment benefits (§§ 207.092, 207.093) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Attorney General: 2026 tax charts (net resources; the $11,700 cap) (PDF) csapps.oag.texas.gov
- Texas Attorney General: 2025 revised tax charts (history of the cap) (PDF) csapps.oag.texas.gov
- Texas Attorney General: monthly child support calculator csapps.oag.texas.gov
- Texas Attorney General: how to apply for child support services texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: understanding the legal process (Child Support Review Process) texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: about your online child support account texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: modify child support texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: the modification journey texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: how we enforce child support texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: denial of motor vehicle registration renewal texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: what we can and cannot do texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: pay by mail texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: pay online or by phone texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: how to receive child support texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: wage withholding texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Texas Attorney General: Paternity, Child Support and You (fees) (PDF) texasattorneygeneral.gov
Related
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation. Justice is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any court or government agency.