Texas is one of the few states that bases guideline child support on a single parent’s income rather than combining both parents’ earnings. Here’s how the state’s formula, under Texas Family Code Chapter 154, actually works.
Texas Uses the Percentage of Income Model
Texas sets guideline support as a percentage of the paying parent’s (the “obligor’s”) net monthly resources. The receiving parent’s income isn’t part of the base calculation, though it can factor into a request to deviate from the guideline.
Step 1: Calculate Net Resources
Resources can include wages, overtime, commissions and bonuses, self-employment or business income, rental income, and retirement, disability, or unemployment benefits. From that gross figure, Texas allows only these deductions to reach “net resources”:
- Federal income tax, withheld at the single-person rate using the Attorney General’s published tax charts
- Social Security taxes (or the equivalent retirement contribution for those not covered by Social Security)
- Union dues
- The cost of the child’s health and dental insurance
Texas does not allow deductions for things like voluntary retirement contributions, car payments, credit card debt, or mortgage payments.
Step 2: Apply the Guideline Percentage
- 1 child: 20% of net resources
- 2 children: 25%
- 3 children: 30%
- 4 children: 35%
- 5 children: 40%
- 6+ children: not less than the amount for 5 children
The Net Resources Cap
As of September 1, 2025, the guideline percentages apply to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources, up from the prior $9,200 cap. That puts the standard guideline maximum at $2,340 a month for one child and $2,925 for two. A parent earning more than the cap can still be ordered to pay above the guideline amount, but only if the child’s “proven needs” — documented, evidence-based expenses — justify it.
Adjustments the Court Can Make
- Medical and dental support is added to essentially every order, on top of the percentage-based amount
- The guideline amount can be adjusted for children the paying parent already supports in another household
- Modifying an existing order generally requires a material change in circumstances, or a gap of at least 20% or $100 between the old order and what the current guidelines would produce
Estimate Your Texas Child Support
The Office of the Attorney General runs its own guideline calculator using the state’s tax charts. For a quick, plain-language estimate to sanity-check against, the Child Support Calculator applies the same percentage-of-income structure to your numbers.
Official Resources
- Texas Office of the Attorney General – Child Support Division
- Texas Family Code, Chapter 154 (Child Support)
- Child Support Calculator (childpaycalc.com)
This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Formulas, percentages, and dollar caps change over time and courts can deviate from the guideline result — confirm current figures with the official resources above or a family law attorney before relying on any number.