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State Guide · California
Child Support in California: How It's Calculated, Modified & Enforced
A plain-English guide to California child support — the guideline model, how the number is computed, the modification and enforcement process, and where to find the official worksheet.
Direct answer
No. California has no simple schedule; the amount comes from the § 4055 formula and official calculator software.
California uses a statewide algebraic 'income shares' formula (Family Code § 4055) applied to both parents' NET disposable incomes and the higher earner's share of parenting time. The formula CS = K[HN - (H%)(TN)] produces a presumptive amount that courts must order unless a written deviation is justified. A low-income adjustment applies near minimum wage, and add-ons (childcare, uninsured medical, sometimes education) are layered on top.
Open the California child support calculator to see your own number under the current guideline: California calculator.
How a support order is established in California
Determine each parent\'s gross income from all sources (wages, bonuses, business, benefits, etc.).
Subtract allowed deductions (taxes, FICA/Medicare, mandatory retirement/union dues, health insurance, other court-ordered support) to get net disposable income (§ 4059).
Enter HN (higher earner\'s net), H% (approx. percentage of time with the child), and TN (combined net) into the § 4055 formula and compute K from the income bracket.
Multiply the one-child result by the statutory multiple for additional children (2->1.6, 3->2.0, etc.).
Add mandated add-on costs (childcare, uninsured medical) shared by income proportion.
Use the official CA DCSS Guideline Calculator or court worksheet; the result is the presumptive order.
Worked examples
Illustrative example - one higher earner, 30% time share, 1 child — Parent A nets $6,000/mo, Parent B nets $3,000/mo (TN = $9,000). Parent A has the child 30% of the time (H% = 0.30). TN falls in the $5,001-10,000 bracket so K = 0.250. CS = 0.25 x [6000 - (0.30 x 9000)] = 0.25 x 3300 = $825/month for one child. For two children multiply by 1.6 = $1,320/month. Even a 30% time share still leaves the higher earner paying the presumptive amount; the formula already accounts for time spent with the child.
Modifying or enforcing an order
Orders in California can be modified when there is a substantial change in income, custody, or circumstances. Use the modification eligibility check and the cross-state comparison tool to see how a move would change the outcome. Enforcement runs through the state agency and can include income withholding and contempt proceedings.
Official sources
California Family Code § 4055 (uniform guideline) — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=4055.&lawCode=FAM
California Department of Child Support Services — https://childsupport.ca.gov/
Is there a California child support lookup table?
No. California has no simple schedule; the amount comes from the § 4055 formula and official calculator software.
Does parenting time reduce the payment?
Yes, indirectly: the H% (time-share) term in the formula lowers the obligation for the parent with more time, but California does not use a fixed overnight-count credit.
California child support calculator
Estimate for California
California uses the Income Shares model.
Enter the paying parent’s net (after-tax/deductions) monthly income.
California Child Support Worksheet — Planning Estimate
Generated September 22, 2026 · Model: Income Shares · Income basis: net · Statute: Cal. Fam. Code § 4050 et seq.
This is an informal planning estimate, not a court worksheet and not legal advice. Confirm the current guideline with the state child-support agency or a licensed family-law attorney.
Estimated monthly support$2,000.00per month
Official schedule: California Family Code § 4055 (SB 343, effective Sept. 1, 2024) (2025)
Not legal or financial advice. This estimate follows the state’s statutory guideline formula but cannot capture every factor a court considers (health insurance, childcare, prior orders, deviations, imputed income).
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