California Child Support Calculator (2026)
This california child support calculator estimates guideline child support for 2026 using Family Code 4055.
Estimate guideline child support using California’s statewide formula from Family Code §4055. Enter both parents’ monthly net disposable incomes, the higher earner’s timeshare, and the number of children.
Calculate California Guideline Support
Take-home income after taxes and mandatory deductions (Family Code §4059). Either parent can be Parent A.
This is H% in the formula — the approximate percentage of time the higher-earning parent has primary physical responsibility for the children.
The statute’s multiplier table runs to 10 children; this tool covers up to 6.
How California Calculates Child Support
California uses a single statewide guideline formula written into Family Code §4055. Courts must order the guideline amount unless they make written findings that it would be unjust or inappropriate in a specific case, so this formula is the starting point for almost every California support order.
- CS = K × [HN − (H% × TN)] — CS is the monthly support for one child before the multi-child multiplier.
- HN is the higher earner’s monthly net disposable income; TN is both parents’ combined monthly net disposable income; H% is the higher earner’s approximate share of parenting time.
- K is the share of the parents’ combined income allocated to child support. It is the statutory fraction for the family’s income level, multiplied by (1 + H%) when H% is 50% or less, or (2 − H%) when H% is over 50%.
- Net disposable income (Family Code §4059) is gross income minus state and federal taxes, mandatory payroll deductions, mandatory retirement, union dues, and certain other items. This calculator takes your net figures as inputs, so use after-tax amounts.
- More children: the one-child result is multiplied by 1.6 for two children, 2 for three, 2.3 for four, 2.5 for five, and 2.625 for six (the statutory table continues to 10 children).
K = (1 + H%) × fraction, or (2 − H%) × fraction when H% > 50%
Fraction: TN $0–2,900 → 0.165 + TN/82,857 • $2,901–5,000 → 0.131 + TN/42,149 • $5,001–10,000 → 0.250 • $10,001–15,000 → 0.10 + 1,499/TN • Over $15,000 → 0.12 + 1,200/TN
Worked Example: $6,500 and $3,500 Net Incomes, 20% Timeshare
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Combined net income (TN) | $6,500 + $3,500 | $10,000 |
| K fraction at TN = $10,000 | Statutory band $5,001–10,000 | 0.250 |
| K (H% = 20%, so 1 + 0.20) | 1.20 × 0.250 | 0.30 |
| One-child guideline (CS) | 0.30 × [$6,500 − (0.20 × $10,000)] | $1,350 / month |
| Two children (multiplier 1.6) | $1,350 × 1.6 | $2,160 / month |
Notice the role of timeshare: if the higher earner’s timeshare rose to 50%, K would become 1.50 × 0.250 = 0.375, but the bracket would fall to $6,500 − $5,000 = $1,500, giving $562.50 for one child. More time with the children and a smaller income gap both pull the guideline amount down.
What This Simplified Calculator Does Not Include
Real California orders start with the guideline and then adjust. This estimate does not model: mandatory add-ons such as work-related childcare and uninsured health care costs (Family Code §§4061–4063), discretionary add-ons like educational or special needs expenses, the low-income adjustment, hardship deductions, support for other children, or a parent’s tax filing status effects inside the §4059 net-income computation. Court-approved software (such as the state’s certified guideline programs) runs the full calculation, including each parent’s actual tax deductions.
Frequently Asked Questions
