Calculating Child Support in Texas: How Maximum Payments Are Set

Only when the parents are on equal playing fields will the courts consider disregarding the child support Texas percentage calculation. Rather, the offset amount is determined by calculating the difference between what the two parents’ child www.childsupport.support support obligations would be. When calculating child support in Texas, it is based solely on the income of the obligor (the person who’s obligated to pay). However, when parents share equal parenting time, the natural assumption is that child support is no longer necessary. Most courts believe that the purpose of child support is to assist the custodial parent with the expenses of raising children. As a Texas family law attorney, I am often asked how child support is calculated if the parents exercise a 50/50 possession schedule. How Does a 50/50 Possession Schedule Affect the Calculation of Child Support in Texas? In other words, using the example above, every month, Father would pay Mother $1,800, and Mother would pay Father $700. Even with the cap in place, Texas law allows courts to order more support if the proven needs of the child(ren) exceed the guideline amount. In certain scenarios, the obligor may not need to pay specifically what is calculated, as there is a child support cap in Texa When you need to speak to a top divorce lawyer, call us to schedule a consultation. Learn how to build a strong support network to help you during and after a divorce. Sarah prioritizes guiding www.childsupport.support her clients to make decisions based on logic rather than emotion. The result would still be a monthly offset of $1,100 to be paid by Father to Mother. As of September 1, 2025, the cap on monthly net resources used to calculate child support is $11,70 The Child Support program can help with locating parents, establishing paternity, and starting or enforcing child support and medical support orders. The child support program will help establish paternity in cases where a child's www.childsupport.support legal father has not been established. The child support program will help establish paternity in cases where a child’s legal father has not been established. Help is available for parents and family members supporting children during and after a parent's incarceration. If there is a significant change in a parent or family’s circumstances and they believe the order may need to be changed, a parent can request a review of their support orde If a plaintiff files a legal jurisdiction that the plaintiff believes to have more favorable laws than other possible jurisdictions, that plaintiff may be accused of forum shopping. The term "visitation" is not used in joint physical custody cases, but only for sole custody orders. Legal custody may be joint, in which case both parents share decision-making rights, or sole, in which case one parent has the rights to make key decisions without regard to the wishes of the other paren When parents participate in a 50/50 possession schedule but are not on equal playing fields (i.e., there is a significant disparity in the parents’ income), courts will likely establish a monthly child support obligation. If the court does not order a monthly child support obligation but the parents share equal parenting time, the court may order the higher-earning parent to pay offset child support to the lower-earning parent. The amount of the child support payments will depend on many factors, such as the number of children, the parents’ income and resources, etc.1 The judge will use specific Texas child support guidelines as a guide to figure out the amoun The Child Support Division is the official public child support agency for the state of Texas to make sure every child receives the support they need and deserve. These attorneys can help you with your access and visitation questions. You may want to talk to an attorney before you file to help you decide what to do. If you’d prefer to try to enforce your order yourself, you can file an enforcement petition with the court. In Texas, the Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division (OAG) is the agency in charge of enforcing court-ordered child support. However, if you are filing against the child’s father, you can ask for more if you can prove www.childsupport.support that the father knew or should have known that he was the father of your child, and if he actively tried to avoid a child support case.2 Plain-language legal information for victims of abu However, if the putative father denies paternity, then the court may order genetic testing. Before a court can award child support to the custodial parent, paternity must be established. Most often, a judge will award cash support, but a judge can order other types of child support, such as requiring the non-custodial parent provide health insurance for the minor children. Thus, when a judge awards primary custody to one parent, the other parent will typically be responsible for child support payments. Under Oregon law, both parents have a legal obligation to support their childre