California Child Support

Income Sharesmodel estimate

Estimate for California

California uses the Income Shares model.

Paying parent’s monthly income ($)

Other parent’s monthly income ($)

Number of children

Overnights / year with paying parent

Child care cost / month ($)

Health insurance / month ($)

Enter the paying parent’s net (after-tax/deductions) monthly income.

Estimated monthly support$675.56per month

Annual estimate$8,106.72

Effective rate13.5%

MethodIncome Shares: combined income → schedule → split by income share (+ add-ons, parenting-time credit)

View calculation breakdown

Combined parental income	$9,000
Total basic obligation (schedule)	$1,216
Obligor income share	55.6%
Obligor basic obligation	$676
Estimated monthly support	$676

How the basic obligation splits between parents

56%

44%

Paying parent: $676 Other parent: $540

Each parent pays their proportional share of the combined basic obligation.

Estimated monthly support by number of children

At the incomes you entered, for 2 children.

§ How California calculates support

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.

Content verified against official sources on 2026-08-09.

✦ How to open or modify a case 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.

◈ Illustrative examples

Illustrative example

Illustrative example - one higher earner, 30% time share, 1 child

Scenario: 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).

Walk-through: 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.

Takeaway: Even a 30% time share still leaves the higher earner paying the presumptive amount; the formula already accounts for time spent with the child.

? Frequently asked questions

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.

↗ Official policy & agency links

California Family Code § 4055 (uniform guideline) ↗California Department of Child Support Services ↗

Sources verified: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=4055.&lawCode=FAM · https://childsupport.ca.gov/ · https://california.public.law/codes/ca_fam_code_section_4055

Statute: Cal. Fam. Code § 4050 et seq.Income basis: netData last updated: 2026-08-08Next review: 2027-01-01Status: estimate pending verification

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).