menu

Child Support Articles

Child support guidelines by location
Every location has different child support guidelines, so we researched and created pages for each location separately. Choose your location to learn more.

Getting a support order

Serving child support papers: Who serves & more
Here's how to serve papers to the other parent in your child support case. Follow these guidelines so you don't stall your case or have it thrown out.

How to prepare for a child support hearing
We asked several practicing family lawyers what a parent should do to prepare for a child support hearing. Here is what they said.

For the parent who pays support

Lower your child support and get more parenting time
In most cases, you can lower your child support payments by figuring out the true parenting timeshare percentage and increasing the time you have your children.

Using custody to avoid child support
While some may think they won't have to pay support if they have custody, it's not that simple.

Are you having difficulty paying child support?
The original child support order should have fit your ability to pay. If you're having trouble paying, it's probably because something changed since then.

For the parent who receives support

Receiving child support while on public assistance
If you receive TANF, the state may take part of the child support that the other parent sends you. It happens under Title IV-D, a federal law.

Technology to help you calculate

Child support software vendors
How to use almost any child support software alongside the Custody X Change app.

Explore examples of common schedules

Explore common schedules

Join the 60,000+ other parents who have used our co-parenting tools

Organize your evidence

Track your expenses, journal what happens, and record actual time. Print organized, professional documents.

Co-parent civilly

Our parent-to-parent messaging system, which detects hostile language, lets you collaborate without the drama.

Get an accurate child support order

Child support is based on parenting time or overnights in most jurisdictions. Calculate time instead of estimating.

Succeed by negotiating

Explore options together with visual calendars and detailed parenting plans. Present alternatives and reach agreement.

Never forget an exchange or activity

Get push notifications and email reminders, sync with other calendar apps and share with the other parent.

Save up to $50,000 by avoiding court

Write your parenting agreement without lawyers. Our templates walk you through each step.

Make My Plan

Examples:

Schedules

Long distance schedules

Third party schedules

Holidays

Summer break

Parenting provisions

Scheduling:

How to make a schedule

Factors to consider

Parenting plans:

Making a parenting plan

Changing your plan

Interstate, long distance

Temporary plans

Guides by location:

Parenting plans

Scheduling guidelines

Child support calculators

Age guidelines:

Birth to 18 months

18 months to 3 years

3 to 5 years

5 to 13 years

13 to 18 years

Terminology:

Joint physical custody

Sole physical custody

Joint legal custody

Sole legal custody

Product features:

Software overview

Printable calendars

Parenting plan templates

Journal what happens

Expense sharing

Parenting time tracking

Calculate time & overnights

Ways to use:

Succeed by negotiating

Prepare for mediation

Get ready for court