Whether you expect to receive child support or pay it, the first thing most parents want is a realistic monthly number. Texas makes that easier to estimate than many states, because its guidelines start from a percentage of one parent’s income rather than a formula that combines both parents’ pay. WSM Law helps women calculate child support in Texas from real numbers; call (210) 942-1951 before you rely on an estimate.
Child support in Texas is calculated in two main steps. First, the court finds the paying parent’s monthly net resources. Then it applies a guideline percentage based on the number of children, starting at 20% for one child. Since September 1, 2025, those percentages apply to monthly net resources up to $11,700, so guideline support for one child tops out at $2,340 a month.
How Do You Calculate Child Support in Texas?
The guideline calculation runs in this order:
- Add up all of the paying parent’s income from nearly every source
- Subtract the deductions Texas law allows to reach monthly net resources
- Limit net resources to $11,700 if they are higher
- Apply the guideline percentage for the number of children before the court
- Add medical and dental support for the children
The Texas Attorney General’s monthly child support calculator follows these steps, but its estimate is only as good as the income figure entered into it.
What Counts as Net Resources in Texas?
Net resources is not take-home pay. Under Section 154.062 of the Texas Family Code, it starts with nearly all income, including:
- Pay from work, such as wages, salary, commissions, overtime, tips, and bonuses
- Self-employment and rental income
- Investment income, such as interest and dividends
- Retirement, unemployment, and workers’ compensation benefits
- Gifts, prizes, and spousal maintenance
A few things are left out, such as return of principal, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other federal public assistance, and foster care payments.
From that total, the court subtracts only these items:
- Social Security taxes
- Federal income tax, figured as if the parent were a single filer taking the standard deduction
- Union dues
- The cost of court-ordered health insurance, dental insurance, or cash medical support for the child
- Nondiscretionary retirement contributions, but only for a parent who does not pay Social Security taxes
Texas has no state income tax, so nothing comes off for that. The federal tax figure is an assumption the law sets, not the tax actually withheld, so a pay stub will not match what a court uses. Rent, a car payment, and credit card debt are not deductible. If the paying parent is intentionally earning less than they could, the court can base support on earning potential instead of reported income.
What Are the Texas Child Support Percentages?
Section 154.125 of the Texas Family Code sets the percentages by the number of children, with a lower set when the paying parent’s monthly net resources are under $1,000:
| Children before the court | Standard guideline | Net resources under $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20% | 15% |
| 2 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | 30% | 25% |
| 4 | 35% | 30% |
| 5 | 40% | 35% |
| 6 or more | At least the amount for 5 children | At least the amount for 5 children |
For example, a parent with $5,000 in monthly net resources and two children would owe guideline support of $1,250 a month, which is 25% of $5,000.
What Happens If the Paying Parent Earns Above the Cap?
The guideline percentages apply only up to a cap that the Texas Attorney General adjusts every six years for inflation. The Attorney General announced in the Texas Register that the cap rose from $9,200 to $11,700 in monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025.
For income above the cap, a court can order additional support based on the parents’ income and the child’s proven needs, but not more than the greater of the guideline amount or 100% of those proven needs. In higher-income cases, a parent asking for more support carries the weight of showing what the child actually needs, so documented expenses matter.
How Do Other Children Change the Calculation?
If the paying parent also supports children from another relationship, Texas law provides an adjusted table that lowers the percentage as the number of other children rises:
| Other children | 1 child before the court | 2 children before the court | 3 children before the court |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 20.00% | 25.00% | 30.00% |
| 1 | 17.50% | 22.50% | 27.38% |
| 2 | 16.00% | 20.63% | 25.20% |
| 3 | 14.75% | 19.00% | 24.00% |
For a receiving parent, it is worth knowing early whether the other parent supports children from another relationship, because the adjusted table can lower the result.
What Does the Guideline Amount Leave Out?
The guideline percentage sets basic support, not the whole obligation. The court also orders health and dental coverage for the children. Coverage a parent can get through work or a membership organization at a reasonable cost comes first, and Texas treats coverage as reasonable when it does not exceed 9% of the responsible parent’s annual resources for health insurance or 1.5% for dental. When neither parent has private coverage at a reasonable cost, the order can include cash medical support instead, and the order also divides costs insurance does not cover.
When Can a Court Order a Different Amount?
The guideline amount is presumed reasonable and in the child’s best interest, but a court can depart from it when the evidence shows it would be unjust or inappropriate. The factors a court can consider include:
- The age and needs of the child
- The amount of time each parent has with the child
- Child care expenses a parent pays to keep working
- An automobile, housing, or other benefits provided by an employer or business
- Special or extraordinary educational, health care, or other expenses
How Long Does Child Support Last in Texas?
Child support generally continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later, and a court can order it to continue for an adult child with a disability that requires ongoing care. If circumstances change before then, child support modifications let either parent ask the court to update the amount.
Getting Child Support in Texas Right With WSM Law
The figure that decides the outcome is net resources, and it has to be built from evidence: pay records, tax returns, business records, and insurance costs. When that number comes out too low, the parent receiving support is the one who feels the shortfall every month.
WSM Law represents women exclusively in divorce, custody, and child support matters, with Texas offices in San Antonio and Austin. We can review how the guidelines apply to your family’s real numbers before anything is signed.
Call (210) 942-1951 or contact us to schedule a free consultation about child support in Texas.
Visit Our San Antonio Family Law Firm
WSM Law
18756 Stone Oak Pkwy, Ste. 202
San Antonio, TX 78258
Phone: (210) 942-1951
