Estimate California guideline child support using each parent's net monthly income, the timeshare split, and the number of children. This is a planning estimate, not the official court calculation.
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Estimated guideline child support
$338 / month
Parent A pays Parent B
This estimate is for planning only and is not legal advice or an official calculation. California courts calculate guideline support with certified software (such as DissoMaster or XSpouse) using net disposable income and many factors this tool does not model, including tax filing status, deductions, health insurance, and add-ons like childcare and uninsured medical costs. Your actual order may differ. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed California family law attorney. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm.
California sets child support using a statewide uniform guideline in Family Code section 4055. The formula weighs each parent's net disposable income and the percentage of time each parent has primary physical responsibility for the children. In general, the higher earner pays support to the lower earner, and the amount rises with the income gap and falls as the higher earner's timeshare increases. Support also scales up with the number of children. The guideline was updated by Senate Bill 343, effective September 1, 2024, so amounts from older calculators or example tables can be out of date. For 2026 the guideline also applies a low income adjustment for parents earning less than $2,929 net per month (full time minimum wage), which the court's certified software handles automatically.
The official calculation reported to the court comes from certified software and uses precise net-income figures after taxes and allowable deductions, plus add-ons for childcare and uninsured medical costs. To document your income for a real case, you file a Form FL-150 Income and Expense Declaration, and the ordered amount is written on a Form FL-342 child support order.
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California uses a statewide guideline formula set by Family Code section 4055. It is based mainly on each parent's net disposable income and the percentage of time each parent has primary physical responsibility for the children. Courts run the numbers through certified software such as DissoMaster or XSpouse, so a real order can differ from any simple estimate.
Yes. Senate Bill 343 updated the statewide guideline in Family Code section 4055 effective September 1, 2024, including how the formula works with net income and the low income adjustment (below $2,929 net per month in 2026, tied to full time minimum wage). Calculators and example amounts published before the change can show outdated numbers. This estimator reflects the updated formula's structure, but only the court's certified calculation is official.
No. This is a simplified estimate for planning purposes only. The official guideline calculation accounts for many factors this tool does not, including tax filing status, mandatory deductions, health insurance premiums, and add-ons like childcare and uninsured medical costs. Only the court can set the actual amount.
Net disposable income is generally your gross income from all sources minus items like state and federal income taxes, mandatory retirement and union dues, health insurance premiums, and certain other deductions. Because calculating it precisely is complex, this estimator asks you to enter your net monthly income directly.
Yes, significantly. The percentage of time each parent has primary physical responsibility for the children is a core input in the guideline formula. As the higher earner's timeshare goes up, the guideline support amount generally goes down, all else equal.
Parents can agree to an amount that differs from guideline within limits, but the agreement must meet legal requirements and be approved by the court, and support for a child cannot be bargained away entirely. A judge reviews stipulated support to make sure it serves the child's best interest.
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