Key takeaways:
- Texas guideline child support is a percentage of the paying parent’s monthly net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four and 40% for five (Texas Family Code 154.125).
- If net resources are under $1,000 a month, lower percentages apply, starting at 15% for one child.
- Since September 1, 2025, the percentages apply to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources (up from $9,200). That makes the presumptive maximum $2,340 a month for one child.
- Health and dental insurance for the child are ordered on top of the percentage amount.
- An order can be modified after a material and substantial change, or after three years if the guideline amount differs by 20% or $100.
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026. This article is general information about Texas law, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your own case.
Texas child support looks simple on the surface: a percentage of income based on the number of children. The details are what change the number, starting with what “net resources” means and where the cap sits. Here is how to calculate an estimate yourself, step by step, with the 2026 figures.
Contents
- Step 1: Find your net resources
- Step 2: Apply the guideline percentage
- Worked examples
- The $11,700 cap on net resources
- Children in more than one household
- Medical and dental support
- Deviations, modifications and enforcement
- FAQ
Step 1: Find your net resources
Under Texas Family Code section 154.062, “resources” include 100% of wages and salary (including commissions, overtime, tips and bonuses), self-employment income, interest and dividends, net rental income, and most other income actually received, such as severance, pensions, unemployment, disability and workers’ compensation benefits. Public assistance like TANF and foster care payments are not included.
From that total, the court subtracts:
- Social Security taxes
- Federal income tax, calculated for a single person claiming one personal exemption and the standard deduction (not your actual filing status)
- State income tax (Texas has none, but this matters if you earn income taxed elsewhere)
- Union dues
- The cost of health insurance, dental insurance or cash medical support for the child ordered by the court
- Nondiscretionary retirement contributions, only if you do not pay Social Security taxes
The Texas Attorney General publishes annual tax charts that convert gross monthly wages into net monthly income for this purpose. The 2026 charts are linked in the sources below.
No income evidence? If there is no evidence of a parent’s resources, the court presumes they earn the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour week (Texas Family Code 154.068). If a parent is intentionally unemployed or underemployed, the court can base support on earning potential (154.066).
A new spouse’s income does not count. The court may not add any of a spouse’s net resources to either parent’s net resources (154.069).
Step 2: Apply the guideline percentage
| Children before the court | Net resources $1,000 to $11,700 | Net resources under $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20% | 15% |
| 2 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | 30% | 25% |
| 4 | 35% | 30% |
| 5 | 40% | 35% |
| 6 or more | Not less than for 5 children | Not less than for 5 children |
These percentages are presumed to be in the child’s best interest. Support generally lasts until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later (154.001). An order for more than one child must state the reduced amount owed when support ends for one child, based on the guidelines for the remaining children (154.127).
Worked examples
Example 1: Employed parent, one child
- Gross wages: $5,000 a month.
- 2026 tax chart for employed persons: $310.00 Social Security, $72.50 Medicare and $418.33 federal income tax, leaving $4,199.17 net monthly income.
- The parent pays $300 a month for the child’s court-ordered health insurance: $4,199.17 – $300 = $3,899.17 net resources.
- One child at 20%: $3,899.17 x 0.20 = $779.83 a month, plus the health insurance the parent is already paying.
Example 2: Low-income parent
A parent with $900 a month in net resources and one child falls under the low-income schedule: $900 x 0.15 = $135 a month.
Example 3: High earner
A parent with $15,000 a month in net resources and two children pays the guideline percentage only on the first $11,700: $11,700 x 0.25 = $2,925 a month. The court can add more only if the child’s proven needs justify it (see below).
Check your estimate: the Texas Attorney General’s monthly child support calculator applies the guidelines and current tax charts for you. A judge or the Child Support Division sets the final amount.
The $11,700 cap on net resources
Section 154.125(a-1) requires the Attorney General, as the state’s Title IV-D agency, to adjust the cap every six years for inflation. In its notice in the Texas Register, the Attorney General set the new figure: effective September 1, 2025, the guidelines apply to monthly net resources of up to $11,700. The previous cap was $9,200.
| Children | Presumptive maximum per month (20% to 40% of $11,700) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,340 |
| 2 | $2,925 |
| 3 | $3,510 |
| 4 | $4,095 |
| 5 | $4,680 |
For a salaried employee, the Attorney General’s 2026 tax chart shows that $11,700 in net monthly income corresponds to about $15,713.51 in gross monthly wages.
The cap does not automatically end the calculation. Under section 154.126, if net resources exceed $11,700, the court may order additional support depending on the parents’ incomes and the proven needs of the child. The presumptive award is subtracted from the child’s total proven needs, and the remaining needs are divided between the parents. The paying parent never owes more than the greater of the presumptive amount or 100% of the child’s proven needs.
Existing orders do not change automatically because the cap went up. A parent would need to seek a modification.
Children in more than one household
If you have a legal duty to support children who are not part of this case, Texas reduces the percentage. Section 154.128 sets out a step-by-step method, and section 154.129 gives a shortcut table.
Example: a parent with $4,000 in net resources has two children in this case and one other child.
- Support for all three children in one household: $4,000 x 30% = $1,200.
- Credit for the child not before the court: $1,200 / 3 = $400.
- Adjusted net resources: $4,000 – $400 = $3,600.
- Two children at 25%: $3,600 x 0.25 = $900 a month.
The section 154.129 table gives the same result here: 22.50% of $4,000 is $900. The court must be shown that the other support duty exists.
Medical and dental support
Medical and dental support are ordered in addition to the guideline amount and are enforceable like child support (154.183).
- Health insurance: the court gives priority to coverage available through a parent’s job at a reasonable cost, meaning no more than 9% of the paying parent’s annual resources. If no coverage is available, the court orders cash medical support of up to 9% of the paying parent’s annual resources.
- Dental insurance: reasonable cost means no more than 1.5% of the paying parent’s annual resources.
- If the receiving parent carries the insurance, the paying parent reimburses the actual cost of the child’s coverage, up to a reasonable cost.
- Uninsured expenses, deductibles and copays are allocated between the parents according to their circumstances. Many orders split them equally, but the statute does not require it.
Deviations, modifications and enforcement
When the court can deviate
The guideline amount is presumed correct, but the court can order a different amount if the evidence shows the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. Factors include the child’s age and needs, each parent’s ability to contribute, time of possession and access, child care costs, and other children a parent supports (154.123). If the order varies from the guidelines, the court must state its findings (154.130).
Equal time does not mean zero support
Joint conservatorship alone is not a reason to change a support order (156.401(c)). With equal possession, a court may consider the time each parent has with the child as a factor, but there is no automatic offset.
Modifying an order
Under section 156.401, a court can modify support if the circumstances of the child or a person affected by the order have materially and substantially changed, or if it has been three years since the order was rendered or last modified and the guideline amount now differs by 20% or $100. Changes generally apply only to support accruing after the other parent is served or appears in the modification case, so file promptly. An informal agreement between parents does not change a court order.
When support goes unpaid
Delinquent support accrues 6% simple interest per year (157.265). Enforcement tools include income withholding, liens and suspension of licenses, and the Attorney General’s Child Support Division can pursue collection, including across state lines.
FAQ
What are the child support percentages in Texas?
For monthly net resources of $1,000 up to the $11,700 cap: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four and 40% for five or more. Below $1,000 a month, the percentages are 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% and 35%.
What is the maximum child support in Texas?
The guidelines apply to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025. That gives a presumptive maximum of $2,340 a month for one child, but a court can order more based on the child’s proven needs.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Texas?
Not automatically. Joint conservatorship alone does not change support, though a court can consider each parent’s time with the child when deciding whether to deviate from the guidelines.
How can I modify a child support order in Texas?
You can ask the court to modify support after a material and substantial change in circumstances, or if three years have passed and the guideline amount differs from the current order by 20% or $100. Only a new court order changes the amount.
Sources: Texas Family Code Chapter 154 (sections 154.001, 154.062, 154.066, 154.068, 154.069, 154.123, 154.125, 154.126, 154.127, 154.128, 154.129, 154.130, 154.181 to 154.183), section 156.401 and section 157.265; Texas Register, Office of the Attorney General notice on the net resources cap (August 15, 2025); Texas Attorney General 2026 Tax Charts; Texas Attorney General monthly child support calculator.
