How this calculator works
Texas calculates child support with a percentage-of-income model under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125source verified 2026-07-19. Unlike income shares states — including neighboring guidelines like Florida's — Texas looks only at the paying parent's net resources. The other parent's income is not part of the guideline formula.
Step by step
1. Start with the paying parent's (obligor's) net resources: nearly all income from all sources, minus a short list of allowed deductions — Social Security/FICA, federal income tax for a single person claiming one exemption and the standard deduction, state income tax, union dues, and the child's health and dental insurance (§ 154.062).
2. Apply the cap. Guideline percentages apply only to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources (effective September 1, 2025). Any net resources above that are set aside from the guideline calculation (§ 154.125(a), (a-1)).
3. Apply the guideline percentage for the number of children in this case: 20% for one, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, 40% for five or more (§ 154.125(b)).
4. If the obligor's net resources are below $1,000/month, a reduced low-income schedule applies instead: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30% / 35% (§ 154.125(c)).
Guideline percentages
| Children | Standard (net resources ≥ $1,000) | Low-income (net resources < $1,000) |
|---|
| 1 child | 20% | 15% |
| 2 children | 25% | 20% |
| 3 children | 30% | 25% |
| 4 children | 35% | 30% |
| 5 children | 40% | 35% |
| 6+ children | not less than 5-child amount | not less than 5-child amount |
Worked example — Paying parent with two children and $4,000/month in net resources.
Net resources ($4,000) are below the $11,700 cap and at or above the $1,000 low-income threshold, so the standard schedule applies. For two children that is 25%. Guideline support = 25% × $4,000 = $1,000.00/month.
Above the cap: a parent with $15,000/month in net resources and three children is capped at $11,700, so the guideline is 30% × $11,700 = $3,510.00/month. A court may order more under § 154.126 based on the proven needs of the child.
Estimation limits
- This tool estimates the standard single-household case. It does not apply the multiple-family adjusted schedule in § 154.129 for a parent who also supports children in another household.
- It does not compute your net resources from gross pay. The Texas OAG's annual Tax Charts convert gross to net using standardized deductions; enter net resources directly, or a rough gross-minus-deductions figure, for the closest estimate.
- It does not calculate income imputation for an unemployed or underemployed parent, or discretionary support above the cap under § 154.126.
- The guideline is a presumption. A court can order a different amount under § 154.123 when applying the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate — considering factors such as possession time, a child's special needs, or the parties' circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Texas applies a flat guideline percentage to the paying parent's monthly net resources based only on the number of children: 20% for one, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five or more (§ 154.125(b)). It's a percentage-of-income model, not the income shares model used by many other states.
Does the other parent's income affect Texas child support?
Generally no. The guideline uses only the paying parent's net resources; the receiving parent's income isn't in the formula. A court can weigh both parents' circumstances when deciding whether to deviate under § 154.123, but the presumptive amount itself doesn't include the other parent's income.
What counts as net resources in Texas?
Almost all income — wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, self-employment, rental, retirement, unemployment, and disability — minus specific deductions: FICA/Social Security (or mandatory retirement if no Social Security), federal income tax for a single filer with one exemption, state income tax, union dues, and the child's health and dental insurance (§ 154.062).
What is the Texas child support cap in 2026?
Guideline percentages apply only to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025 (up from $9,200 since 2019). The Attorney General adjusts the cap for inflation about every six years and publishes it in the Texas Register (§ 154.125(a-1)).
What are the Texas child support percentages?
For net resources of at least $1,000 up to the cap: 20% (1 child), 25% (2), 30% (3), 35% (4), 40% (5), and not less than the five-child amount for six or more (§ 154.125(b)).
What if the paying parent earns very little?
If monthly net resources are under $1,000, a reduced low-income schedule applies: 15% (1 child), 20% (2), 25% (3), 30% (4), 35% (5), and not less than the five-child amount for six or more (§ 154.125(c)).
What if the paying parent earns more than the cap?
The percentage applies only to the first $11,700 of net resources. Above that, a court may order additional support under § 154.126 based on the parties' income and the proven needs of the child — a discretionary amount this tool doesn't estimate.
Does 50/50 possession change Texas child support?
The guideline formula doesn't automatically reduce support for equal or shared possession the way some states do; the presumptive amount comes from the obligor's net resources and the number of children. A court may treat possession time as a deviation factor under § 154.123, but that's discretionary, not built in.
What if the parent has children in another household?
When the paying parent has a duty to support children in more than one household, § 154.129 provides a separate multiple-family adjusted schedule with lower percentages. This calculator estimates the single-household case; use the § 154.129 tables or an attorney for a multiple-household situation.
Is the result from this calculator legally binding?
No. It's an educational estimate of the presumptive guideline amount. The guideline is presumed reasonable, but a court can order a different amount under § 154.123, and only a signed court order creates an enforceable obligation.