Child Support Math
The project
The honest alternative
Most child support calculators online are black-box lead-generation tools — they use a generic formula, slap a state name on it, and ask for your email. Some hide the math entirely. Child Support Math is the open alternative: it implements each state's actual schedule tables and formulas, cites the source statute on every page, and shows you every numbered step.
It is not affiliated with any government agency, law firm, or commercial service. No signup required, ever.
How it works
Three models, fifty states
Each state calculator is implemented directly from the state's published guidelines. We use the actual schedule tables, not approximations. Sources are linked on every state page.
Parenting time adjustments, health insurance credits, childcare costs, and income caps are implemented where applicable per each state's guidelines.
Legal
This is an estimate
The calculations on this site are estimates only. They implement the published guidelines formula but are not a substitute for legal advice. Actual court-ordered amounts may differ based on factors not captured here:
- Judicial discretion and local court rules
- Imputed income or income capacity
- Prior support orders or extraordinary expenses
- Special needs of the child
- Deviation factors specific to your case
This calculator does not predict what a court will order. Consult a licensed family law attorney in your state.
Privacy
Nothing leaves your browser
All calculations run entirely in your browser. No income figures, parenting schedules, or personal information are ever sent to any server.
This site uses no tracking cookies, analytics, or advertising scripts. There is no account system and no data storage of any kind.
Independence
Not a government website
Child Support Math is an independent, non-commercial tool built and maintained by a private individual. It is not affiliated with the federal government, any state court system, OCSE, or any child support enforcement program.
The site does not provide legal advice and is not a substitute for consulting a licensed attorney. Links to state statutes and guidelines are provided for reference; those documents are authoritative, this tool is not.
Support this project
Keep it free.
If this tool helped you understand your situation or saved you time, a small donation goes a long way toward keeping it free, accurate, and independent.