How Is Child Support Calculated in Texas?

Texas calculates child support by taking the paying parent’s monthly net resources and applying a flat percentage set by statute: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five or more. Effective September 1, 2025, that percentage applies to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources, up from the earlier $9,200 cap.¹ The real amount a court orders can shift from that baseline depending on children in other households, the specific needs of the child, and factors the judge is allowed to weigh.

Step One: Figure Out Monthly Net Resources

Everything starts with the paying parent’s monthly net resources, and Texas defines “resources” to catch almost every dollar coming in. That includes wages, salary, overtime, commissions, tips, and bonuses, plus interest, dividends, royalties, self-employment income, rental income, retirement benefits, pensions, trust income, capital gains, Social Security (other than SSI), unemployment, workers’ compensation, spousal maintenance, and even gifts and prizes.²

From that gross figure, the court subtracts a short, closed list of deductions:

The employee’s share of Social Security taxes
Federal income tax, calculated as if the parent were a single filer claiming one personal exemption and the standard deduction, no matter how they actually file
State income tax, which matters only if the parent earns income in a state that has one
Union dues
The cost of court-ordered health and dental insurance for the child
Mandatory retirement contributions, but only for parents who don’t pay Social Security taxes, such as certain government employees required to contribute to a pension

What’s left is monthly net resources.² Expect this number to be higher than your take-home pay. The federal tax piece uses the single-filer rate instead of your actual withholding, and voluntary deductions like 401(k) contributions or extra withholding don’t come out.

Step Two: Apply the Guideline Percentage

Once the court has monthly net resources, it applies a flat percentage based on how many children the paying parent supports in this case:

One child: 20%
Two children: 25%
Three children: 30%
Four children: 35%
Five children: 40%
Six or more: not less than the amount for five

These percentages are presumptive, which means a judge applies them unless there’s a reason not to.³ A parent with $5,000 in monthly net resources and one child would owe $1,000 per month under the guideline.

The Low-Income Schedule

Parents whose monthly net resources fall below $1,000 are calculated under a separate, lower schedule: 15% for one child, 20% for two, 25% for three, 30% for four, and 35% for five, with six or more at no less than the five-child amount. Each tier runs five points below the standard schedule.³ This reduced table applies to cases filed on or after September 1, 2021.

The $11,700 Cap on Net Resources

Texas caps the income the guideline percentages run against. As of September 1, 2025, the cap sits at $11,700 per month in net resources, raised from $9,200 under the required six-year inflation adjustment.¹ If you earn more than $11,700 in monthly net resources, the guideline percentages apply only to the first $11,700. For one child, that puts the presumptive maximum at $2,340 per month.

The cap is not a hard ceiling on what a court can order. If the child’s proven needs exceed what the guideline formula produces, a judge can reach into income above the cap and order additional support. That typically comes up with high-earning parents when the child has an established standard of living or significant educational or medical costs. The next scheduled adjustment is due by September 1, 2031.³

Children in More Than One Household

A parent with a legal duty to support children from more than one relationship doesn’t get the full guideline percentage stacked against each set. Texas uses a credit-based computation instead. The court first works out what the total obligation would look like if all the parent’s children lived together, then calculates a credit for the children not before the court, and finally applies the guideline percentage for the children in this case to net resources reduced by that credit.⁴

The result is a lower per-child figure when a parent’s obligations span multiple households. The calculation counts every child the parent is legally obligated to support, including children living in the parent’s own home.

When a Judge Can Order a Different Amount

The guideline percentages are a starting point, not a lock. A judge can order more or less than the formula amount after finding that strict application would be unjust or inappropriate. The statute lists 17 factors a court can weigh, and the ones that come up most often include:

The child’s age and specific needs
Each parent’s ability to contribute financially
How much time each parent has with the child
Childcare expenses needed for a parent to work
The receiving parent’s income and earning potential, including cases of voluntary underemployment
Extraordinary educational or medical expenses
Travel costs for visitation
Employer-provided benefits like housing or a company car
Debts carried by either parent

The court can also consider post-secondary education costs, existing alimony obligations, and any other reason consistent with the child’s best interest.⁵ A judge who departs from the guidelines has to explain on the record why they don’t fit the case.

Medical and Dental Support Sit on Top

The guideline percentage covers the base cash support figure, not health coverage. Texas courts address medical and dental insurance as a separate obligation added to the monthly amount. The parent with access to employer-sponsored or group coverage at a reasonable cost is typically ordered to enroll the child. If the receiving parent carries the insurance, the paying parent reimburses the premium as additional support.⁶

When no parent has access to private coverage at a reasonable cost, the custodial parent is directed to apply for a government medical assistance program and the paying parent is ordered to pay cash medical support instead. Cash medical support is capped at 9% of the paying parent’s annual gross resources.⁶ It is a separate line in the order, and it’s enforceable the same way as the base support amount.

Running the Numbers Yourself

The Texas Attorney General’s office publishes a free online child support calculator that applies the guideline percentages to the inputs you provide.⁷ To get a useful estimate you’ll need gross monthly income and the amounts for each permitted deduction: Social Security taxes, federal income tax at the single-filer rate, any union dues, and the cost of the child’s health and dental insurance.

The tool handles a straightforward single-income situation and gives you a baseline. It won’t adjust for income above the $11,700 cap, children in other households, or the factors a judge might use to deviate. Before a hearing, most Texas courts also require both parties to complete a financial information form disclosing income, expenses, and assets, so pulling recent pay stubs, your last tax return, W-2s, and insurance premium records together ahead of time makes the whole process easier. The calculator’s number can land some distance from what a judge ultimately orders, especially when either parent’s finances are complicated, but it’s a reasonable starting point for planning.

1
Office of the Attorney General of Texas. 2025 Revised Tax Charts
2
State of Texas. Texas Family Code 154.062 – Net Resources
3
State of Texas. Texas Family Code 154.125 – Application of Guidelines to Net Resources
4
State of Texas. Texas Family Code 154 – Child Support
5
State of Texas. Texas Family Code 154.123 – Additional Factors for Court to Consider
6
State of Texas. Texas Family Code 154.182 – Health Care Coverage for Child
7
Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Monthly Child Support Calculator