By Child-Support.com Staff – Last updated
The California Child Support Calculator provides a way for you to figure out how much you may owe in child support. It is an online, interactive calculator that allows you to provide information in order to get an estimate of child support that may be owed. This is just an estimate. An actual child support order may be different as it may reflect unique circumstances. The online calculator is based on the guidelines found in California Code 4055.
How to Calculate
Step 1: Go to the California Child Support Website.
Step 2: Fill out the form as follows:
- Enter the number of children involved in the child support action and click “Start”
- Enter Federal income tax year
- Enter tax filing status
- Enter income information for each parent
- Enter monthly deductions for each parent
- Enter information on extraordinary health or catastrophic losses
- Enter details of other hardships
- Check if you need to apply low income adjustment
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Monthly Income Information
Step 3: Click calculate guideline support and your estimated child support amount owed will be automatically calculated.
The online calculator is based on a formula for calculating child support set forth in the California Law Code Section regarding child support.
The formula used to calculate a child support obligation for a parent is as follows: CS = K[(HN-(H%)(TN)] which is explained below:
Child Support Obligation = Amount of both parents’ income allocated for the children [high earners’ net monthly disposable income – (approximate percentage of time high earner is physically responsible for the child) (total net monthly disposable income of both parents)]
