Free Texas Child Support Calculator
This Texas child support calculator applies the Texas Family Code percentages to the paying parent's income. Results update as you type.
Estimate only, not legal advice. This calculator applies the published Texas rules to the numbers you enter. A judge can order a different amount, and the result depends on how income is proven in your case. Settle101 is not a law firm. For advice on your situation, talk to a family-law attorney, legal aid or your state's child support agency.
How Texas child support is calculated
- Add up the paying parent's resources (Tex. Fam. Code §154.062(b)): wages, overtime, tips, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, interest, dividends, net rental income and most benefits.
- Subtract the allowed deductions (§154.062(d)): Social Security and Medicare tax, federal income tax as if filing single with the standard deduction ($16,100 for 2026), union dues, and the cost of the child's health and dental insurance. The result is net resources.
- Apply the guideline percentage (§154.125) to net resources up to $11,700 a month.
| Children before the court | Net resources $1,000 to $11,700 | Under $1,000 (low income) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20% | 15% |
| 2 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | 30% | 25% |
| 4 | 35% | 30% |
| 5 or more | 40% | 35% |
Worked example
A parent earns $6,000 a month in wages and has two children. Social Security is $372.00, Medicare $87.00 and federal income tax $584.17, leaving net resources of $4,956.83. At 25%, guideline support is $1,239.21 a month.
Children in more than one household
If the paying parent also has a legal duty to support other children, a court may use the multiple-family table in §154.129 instead. For example, with two children in this case and one other child, the percentage is 22.50% rather than 25%.
What this calculator does not include
- Self-employment tax, state or local taxes from other states, and income that is not wages. Enter self-employment profit with care: the self-employed tax chart differs.
- Additional support above the cap for a child's proven needs (§154.126).
- Imputed income, where a court sets income at what a parent could earn (§154.066).
- Any reason a court finds the guideline amount unjust or inappropriate (§154.123), such as a child's special needs or travel costs for visitation.
The Texas Attorney General also runs an official monthly child support calculator. Our figures for wages match its 2026 tax charts to the cent.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is child support in Texas?
Under the Texas Family Code guidelines, the paying parent pays a percentage of monthly net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four and 40% for five or more. The percentage applies to net resources up to $11,700 a month.
What is the Texas child support cap in 2026?
$11,700 of monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025. For one child that means guideline support of up to $2,340 a month. A court can order more if the child's proven needs are higher.
What are "net resources" in Texas?
All income, including wages, self-employment income, interest, rental income and most benefits, minus Social Security and Medicare tax, federal income tax for a single person taking the standard deduction, union dues, and the cost of the child’s health and dental insurance.
Does the other parent’s income matter in Texas?
Not for the guideline percentage. Texas bases support on the paying parent’s net resources only. The other parent’s income can matter if the court considers going above or below the guideline amount.
What if I support children from another relationship?
Texas Family Code section 154.129 has a multiple-family table with lower percentages. Choose the number of other children you have a legal duty to support and the calculator uses that table.
Is health insurance paid on top of child support?
Yes. Texas guidelines assume the paying parent also provides medical and dental support for the child. The cost of the child’s coverage is deducted before the percentage is applied.