2026 Texas Child Support Update
What Are the Current Texas Child Support Laws?
Texas child support guidelines generally apply a percentage to the paying parent’s monthly net resources. Since September 1, 2025, the upper monthly net-resource amount subject to the standard guideline calculation has been $11,700, up from $9,200. The standard percentages remain 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five children.
The higher cap remains relevant in 2026 and can increase guideline support for parents whose monthly net resources exceed the former limit. Courts may still order more or less than the guideline calculation when the evidence and statutory factors support a different amount.
The September 2025 update
What Changed to Texas Child Support Laws?
The major change was an increase in the upper monthly net-resource amount used for standard guideline calculations—from $9,200 to $11,700. The change took effect September 1, 2025, and remains the current cap in 2026.
The percentage schedule did not change. Instead, the same percentages may now be applied to an additional $2,500 in monthly net resources. The practical effect is most noticeable when the paying parent has monthly net resources above the former cap.
| Issue | Before Sept. 1, 2025 | Current Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Upper guideline net-resource amount | $9,200 per month | $11,700 per month |
| One-child percentage | 20% | 20% |
| Two-child percentage | 25% | 25% |
| Maximum standard one-child guideline amount at the cap | $1,840 per month | $2,340 per month |
| Existing orders | A new cap does not, by itself, automatically rewrite an existing court order. | |
A parent whose net resources are below $9,200 may see little or no direct effect from the cap increase. A parent above the former cap may face a larger guideline calculation in a new case or a properly filed modification proceeding.
The current Texas Family Code provisions governing child support appear in Chapter 154 of the Texas Family Code. The Texas Office of the Attorney General also conducts periodic reviews of the state’s child support guidelines.
Quick reference
Texas Child Support Laws at a Glance
| Topic | Current General Rule |
|---|---|
| Upper guideline cap | $11,700 in monthly net resources |
| One child | 20% of monthly net resources |
| Two children | 25% |
| Three children | 30% |
| Four children | 35% |
| Five children | 40% |
| Six or more children | Not less than the amount for five children |
| Can a judge deviate? | Yes, when guideline support would be unjust or inappropriate under the statutory factors |
| Can an order be modified? | Yes, when the statutory modification requirements are met |
| Does equal parenting time eliminate support? | No, not automatically |
These percentages are a starting point, not a substitute for a full calculation. Different rules can apply when the obligor has children in more than one household, has very low net resources, or when the court finds that a deviation is appropriate.
Standard percentage framework
Texas Child Support Guidelines for 2026
For an obligor with monthly net resources above the low-income threshold, Texas generally applies the following percentages when all children before the court live in one household.
| Number of Children Before the Court | Standard Guideline Percentage | Amount at the $11,700 Cap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 20% | $2,340 |
| 2 children | 25% | $2,925 |
| 3 children | 30% | $3,510 |
| 4 children | 35% | $4,095 |
| 5 children | 40% | $4,680 |
| 6 or more | Not less than 40% | Case-specific |
Texas also uses reduced percentages for some low-income obligors whose monthly net resources are below the statutory threshold. Additionally, a multiple-family adjustment chart may apply when the obligor has a legal duty to support children in another household.
The percentage table is only one part of the calculation. The court must determine the correct net-resource figure, identify all children the parent is legally obligated to support, and consider whether guideline support is appropriate.
Calculation process
How Is Child Support Calculated in Texas?
Texas calculates guideline child support by identifying the obligor’s monthly net resources, applying the appropriate percentage, limiting the standard calculation to the current cap, and then considering any reason to deviate.
Identify Resources
Start with wages and other resources Texas law generally requires the court to consider.
Calculate Net Resources
Subtract the deductions allowed by statute, such as certain taxes and the child’s health-insurance cost.
Apply the Percentage
Use the applicable percentage based on the number of children and any multiple-family adjustment.
Review Deviations
Determine whether statutory factors support an amount above or below the guideline figure.
The parent ordered to pay support is commonly called the obligor. The parent or person entitled to receive support is the obligee. These labels do not determine conservatorship rights or parenting quality; they describe the payment obligation.
A calculator can provide a useful estimate, but it may not capture self-employment adjustments, multiple households, low-income rules, health and dental support, deviations, or disputed income. Treat the result as a starting point rather than a guaranteed order.
Worked examples
Texas Child Support Calculation Examples
The following simplified examples use monthly net resources, not gross pay. They do not include medical support, dental support, arrears, multiple-family adjustments, or discretionary deviations.
Example 1: One Child
Monthly net resources: $4,000
Estimated guideline child support: $800 per month.
Example 2: Two Children
Monthly net resources: $8,500
Estimated guideline child support: $2,125 per month.
Example 3: One Child at the Cap
Monthly net resources: $11,700
Estimated standard guideline amount: $2,340 per month.
Example 4: Income Above the Cap
Monthly net resources: $15,000; one child
The court may consider additional proven needs of the child when evaluating support above the cap.
Example 5: Equal Parenting Time
Each parent has substantial parenting time, but one earns much more than the other.
Income, expenses, conservatorship terms, and deviation factors still require analysis.
Example 6: Income Drops
An obligor’s monthly net resources fall from $7,000 to $4,500.
A job loss or reduction may support modification, but the parent should act promptly rather than paying an informal lower amount.
Income analysis
What Counts as Net Resources in Texas?
Texas uses a broad definition of resources and then allows specific deductions to reach monthly net resources. The calculation can include more than a regular paycheck.
Resources Commonly Considered
- Wages and salary
- Overtime, tips, commissions, and bonuses
- Self-employment income
- Interest, dividends, and royalty income
- Rental income after allowable expenses
- Retirement and pension income
- Unemployment benefits
- Disability benefits in applicable circumstances
- Military pay and allowances when legally countable
- Other income and resources identified by statute
Common Statutory Deductions
- Social Security taxes or mandatory retirement contributions
- Federal income tax based on the statutory assumptions
- State income tax, when applicable
- Union dues
- Health-insurance cost for the child, when properly included
- Other deductions specifically authorized by Texas law
Some benefits are excluded from resources, including certain means-tested public assistance. The treatment of disability, business income, reimbursements, and irregular compensation can be fact-specific.
Courts may examine business revenue, ordinary and necessary expenses, personal expenses paid through the business, depreciation, retained earnings, and whether reported income accurately reflects available resources.
Resources above $11,700
How Does the Child Support Cap Affect High-Income Parents?
When monthly net resources exceed $11,700, the court generally applies the guideline percentage to the first $11,700 and may consider additional support based on the child’s proven needs.
The cap is not necessarily an absolute maximum. It limits the resources automatically subject to the ordinary guideline percentage. In a high-income case, evidence concerning the child’s needs becomes especially important.
Current Expenses
Housing, food, clothing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and established activities.
Special Needs
Therapy, medical treatment, specialized education, accommodations, or other documented needs.
Standard of Living
The child’s circumstances and reasonable needs may be considered without treating child support as wealth equalization.
A request for above-guideline support should be supported with specific evidence. A high income alone does not automatically establish every requested expense as a child’s need.
Judicial discretion
When Can a Judge Order More or Less Than the Guidelines?
A Texas court may deviate when applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate under the circumstances. The judge should consider the statutory factors and explain a deviation in the order.
Child-Related Factors
Age and needs, childcare, education, healthcare, special needs, travel, and other extraordinary expenses.
Parent-Related Factors
Each parent’s resources, ability to contribute, benefits, extraordinary expenses, and relevant conservatorship arrangements.
Case-Specific Factors
Possession schedule, support of other children, cash flow, assets, debts, and any other relevant factor permitted by law.
Equal or near-equal parenting time can be relevant, but Texas law does not create a universal rule that child support becomes zero whenever parents divide time equally.
Additional support obligations
Medical Support and Dental Support in Texas
A Texas child support order typically addresses health insurance, uninsured healthcare expenses, and dental support in addition to monthly child support.
The court may order a parent to provide available health insurance at a reasonable cost, reimburse coverage, pay cash medical support, or divide unreimbursed expenses. The exact terms depend on available coverage, cost, access, and the facts of the case.
A parent’s total monthly obligation may be higher than the percentage-table amount because medical support, dental support, arrears, and other ordered payments can appear separately.
Changing an existing order
How Do You Modify Child Support in Texas?
Child support may be modified when the circumstances have materially and substantially changed or when the statutory three-year review test applies. A parent generally must obtain a new court order; private agreements and changed circumstances do not automatically alter the amount due.
Common Reasons to Request Modification
- Significant increase or decrease in income
- Job loss, disability, or retirement
- Substantial change in the child’s living arrangements
- Change in health-insurance costs or availability
- New or increased medical, educational, or childcare needs
- A child becomes legally ineligible for ongoing support
Basic Modification Process
- Review the existing order and payment history.
- Gather current income, insurance, expense, and parenting records.
- File a modification case or request an eligible administrative review.
- Complete service and financial disclosure requirements.
- Negotiate an agreed order or present the disputed issues to the court.
Texas courts are generally limited in how far back they can reduce accrued child support. Waiting to file can allow the existing amount to continue coming due even when income has fallen.
What Is the Three-Year Rule?
Texas law may permit modification when at least three years have passed since the order was rendered or last modified and the current guideline calculation differs from the existing order by at least 20% or $100 per month. Exceptions and case-specific rules may apply, particularly when the parties previously agreed to a non-guideline order.
Modification provisions appear in Chapter 156 of the Texas Family Code.
Duration of support
When Does Child Support End in Texas?
Texas child support commonly continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, subject to the wording of the order and statutory exceptions.
Support may end earlier after marriage, emancipation, or death. It may continue for an adult child with a qualifying disability when statutory requirements are met. The end of current support does not erase unpaid arrears.
Review the actual order and payment account before stopping. Wage withholding, arrears, multiple children, and graduation timing can affect what remains due.
Practical guidance
Common Texas Child Support Mistakes to Avoid
Using Gross Income
Guideline percentages are generally applied to calculated net resources—not simply the gross number on a pay stub.
Changing Payments Informally
A verbal or text-message agreement may not prevent the ordered amount from becoming past due.
Waiting After a Job Loss
A reduced income does not automatically reduce the order. Delay can allow arrears to accumulate.
Ignoring Irregular Income
Bonuses, commissions, overtime, military pay, and business income may affect the resources calculation.
Assuming Equal Time Means Zero
Parenting time is relevant, but equal time does not automatically eliminate child support.
Forgetting Medical Support
Health insurance, dental coverage, and uninsured expenses may be separate from monthly guideline support.
Myth vs. fact
Is Child Support Going Away in Texas?
Myth: The percentages changed in 2025.
Fact: The major update changed the cap. The standard percentage framework remained the same.
Myth: Equal custody always means no support.
Fact: Courts still consider income and other relevant circumstances.
Myth: Support changes when income changes.
Fact: The current order generally remains enforceable until it is modified.
Myth: Child support always ends on the 18th birthday.
Fact: High-school graduation, disability, arrears, and the language of the order may affect duration.
Frequently asked questions
Texas Child Support FAQs
How much is child support for one child in Texas?
The standard guideline is generally 20% of the obligor’s monthly net resources, subject to low-income rules, multiple-family adjustments, the $11,700 cap, and possible deviations.
What is the maximum child support in Texas?
There is no single maximum applicable to every case. At the current $11,700 cap, standard guideline support for one child is $2,340. A court may consider support above the guideline amount based on the child’s proven needs.
Does overtime count as income?
Overtime may be included in resources. Whether and how it is averaged can depend on its history, regularity, likelihood of continuing, and the evidence presented.
Does military pay count?
Military compensation may affect net resources, including components beyond base pay. The treatment of allowances and special pay requires review of current pay records and applicable law.
Can parents agree to no child support?
Parents can propose an agreement, but the court must determine whether the order complies with Texas law and protects the child’s interests. A private waiver does not necessarily prevent future establishment or modification.
Does remarriage affect child support?
A new spouse’s income is not ordinarily treated as the obligor’s income. Remarriage can nevertheless change household expenses and circumstances relevant to a broader case analysis.
Can support be changed without going to court?
An informal agreement does not normally modify a court order. A signed, court-approved modification is the safer and generally necessary way to change the legal obligation.
What if the paying parent quits a job?
Voluntary unemployment does not automatically eliminate support. A court may examine earning capacity, work history, reasons for unemployment, job-search efforts, and whether income is being intentionally reduced.
Is child support taxable?
Under current federal tax treatment, child support is generally not deductible by the paying parent and is not taxable income to the receiving parent. Tax laws can change, so consult a qualified tax professional about your circumstances.
Can child support continue after age 18?
Yes. It may continue until high-school graduation and may continue longer for a qualifying adult child with a disability. Past-due support also remains collectible after current support ends.
What happens if child support is not paid?
Texas can use income withholding, tax refund interception, liens, license suspension, contempt proceedings, and other enforcement tools. Learn more in our guide to failing to pay child support in Texas.
How often can child support be modified?
There is no universal rule limiting a parent to one request every three years. The three-year test is one statutory path; a material and substantial change may support an earlier request.
