Pennsylvania child support calculator: estimate guideline support under the 2026 schedule

Pennsylvania child support calculator

Enter both parents’ monthly net income, the number of children, who has the children for most overnights and how many overnights a year the other parent has, and the calculator works through Parts C and D of the Pennsylvania support worksheet. It uses the basic child support schedule in force from January 1, 2026, the self-support reserve and the low-income check in Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-2(e), and the shared custody rules in 1910.16-4(c).

Use net income, after taxes. If pay arrives weekly or every two weeks, convert it to a monthly figure first: multiply weekly pay by 52, or pay every two weeks by 26, and divide by 12.

How is child support calculated in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania uses an income shares model. Both parents’ net incomes are added together, one basic obligation for the children is read off a schedule, and the parent who pays owes their proportion of it. Rule 1910.16-3 says the schedule “determines the basic child support obligation,” and that the paying parent’s amount is then computed with the formula in Rule 1910.16-4. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-3)

The rules use two words worth knowing. The obligor is the parent who pays support. The obligee is the parent who receives it, usually the parent the children spend most overnights with. Part C of the worksheet in Rule 1910.16-4 then runs like this: (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-4)

1. Work out each parent’s monthly net income (lines 16 to 18).
2. Add the two together to get the combined monthly net income (line 19).
3. Find the basic child support obligation on the schedule for that combined income and the number of children (line 20).
4. Divide the obligor’s net income by the combined income to get the obligor’s percentage (line 21).
5. Multiply the basic obligation by that percentage (line 22).
6. If the children spend 40% or more of their overnights with the obligor, apply the shared custody adjustment in Part D (lines 25a to 25g).

Child care, health insurance and some other expenses are then added under Rule 1910.16-6 and split by the same percentages. The calculator above stops before that step.

The result carries legal weight. Rule 1910.16-1(d) says “there is a rebuttable presumption that the guideline-calculated support obligation is the correct support obligation.” (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-1)

What changed on January 1, 2026?

On August 11, 2025, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered amendments to fifteen of the support rules, including Rule 1910.16-2 on net income, Rule 1910.16-3 with the basic child support schedule, and Rule 1910.16-4 with the formula. The order was published at 55 Pa.B. 5978 on August 23, 2025, and states that it “shall be effective January 1, 2026.” (55 Pa.B. 5978)

Two changes matter most for a calculation:

• A new schedule. The basic child support schedule was replaced, so the same incomes can give a different amount than they did in 2025. The new schedule is printed in the same issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. (Pennsylvania Bulletin, Vol. 55, No. 34)
• A higher self-support reserve. The amended Rule 1910.16-2(e) raises the self-support reserve from $1,063 to $1,255 a month.

A new schedule can also open the door to a change in an existing order. Rule 1910.19(a) says that “a new guideline amount resulting from new or revised support guidelines may constitute a material and substantial change in circumstances.” The word is “may,” so a new schedule does not change an order by itself. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.19)

Is Pennsylvania child support based on net or gross income?

Net income. Rule 1910.16-2 opens by saying that the basic child support obligation “is based on the parties’ monthly net incomes.” (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-2)

Net income here is not simply take-home pay. Subdivision (c)(1) starts from monthly gross income and lets the court deduct only:

• federal, state and local income taxes;
• unemployment compensation taxes and Local Services Taxes;
• F.I.C.A. payments, meaning Social Security, Medicare and self-employment taxes, and non-voluntary retirement payments;
• mandatory union dues; and
• alimony paid to the other party.

Voluntary deductions, such as an optional 401(k) contribution, are not on that list. A pay stub’s net figure may therefore be lower than the net income a court uses.

What counts as income?

Subdivision (a) of Rule 1910.16-2 says monthly gross income is “ordinarily based on at least a six-month average” and, using the definition in 23 Pa.C.S. § 4302, “includes income from any source.” The rule lists, among others:

• wages, salaries, bonuses, fees and commissions;
• net income from a business;
• interest, rents, royalties and dividends;
• pensions, and income from an estate or trust;
• Social Security disability and retirement benefits, other disability benefits, workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation; and
• lottery winnings, income tax refunds, insurance settlements and awards.

Subdivision (b)(1) leaves out public assistance and Supplemental Security Income.

A parent who earns less than they could does not always get the benefit of the lower figure. Subdivision (d) says there is no adjustment for a voluntary drop in income, and under (d)(4) the court can assign a party an income equal to their earning capacity, though not more than one full-time job. Seasonal workers’ income is averaged over the year.

How does the basic child support schedule work?

The schedule is a table. Combined monthly net income runs down the side in $50 steps, from $1,300 to $30,000, and the number of children runs across the top, from one to six. Rule 1910.16-3 says the schedule “represents the amounts spent on children of intact families by combined monthly net income and number of children.” (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-3)

Some sample rows from the 2026 schedule, as published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin:

• $1,300 of combined net income: $41 for one child, $41 for two.
• $6,000: $1,186 for one child, $1,774 for two.
• $7,300: $1,960 for two children.
• $30,000: $3,749 for one child, $4,981 for two, $7,750 for six.

The Rule’s comment explains that the current schedule “reflects the actual expenses of an intact family living in a single household” with no shared custody adjustment built in. Time with each parent is handled separately, in the formula.

For more than six children, Rule 1910.16-4(b) extends the table: the court adds the difference between the five-child and six-child amounts for each extra child.

When combined income falls between two $50 rows, this calculator scales the amount in a straight line between the two rows. That is our own approach. A conference officer may simply use the row amount, which can differ by a few dollars.

How does shared custody change the amount?

Two rules in 1910.16-4(c) cover time with the paying parent. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-4)

Substantial custody, 40% or more. Subdivision (c)(1) says that when a child spends 40% or more of the annual overnights with the obligor, “a rebuttable presumption arises that the obligor is entitled to a reduction” in basic support. Part D works it out. Line 25a is the obligor’s percentage of overnights, found by dividing the obligor’s overnights by 365. The worksheet subtracts 30 from that percentage and takes the result off the obligor’s income percentage from line 21. The basic obligation is then multiplied by the lower percentage.

In practice, 146 overnights is 40%. At 40% the obligor’s percentage drops by 10 points, and at 50% it drops by 20. If you are not sure how many overnights you have, our parenting time calculator counts them from a schedule.

Equal custody, 50/50. Subdivision (c)(2) applies when a child spends an equal number of overnights with each parent, whoever started the case:

• The Part D formula “cannot be applied unless the obligor is the party with the higher monthly net income.”
• The court “shall not require the party with the lower monthly net income to pay basic child support” to the higher earner. The lower earner can still be ordered to help with additional expenses under Rule 1910.16-6.
• If the calculation would leave the receiving parent with the larger share of the two incomes, the court adjusts the obligation so that the combined income is split equally between the two households.

The calculator counts overnights, not days, because that is what the rule counts. Overnights the court has ordered and overnights that actually happen are not always the same number, and a dated record of the real ones is the clearest way to show which. Our guide to a record of parenting time kept as it happens explains why the date of each note matters.

What happens at low incomes?

Rule 1910.16-2(e)(1) protects a low-earning payer. It says “the SSR is the minimum monthly net income reserved to the obligor to meet the obligor’s basic needs,” and “the SSR amount is $1,255 per month.” (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-2)

Part of the schedule is shaded. When the obligor’s own net income lands in the shaded area for the number of children, the court runs two calculations and uses the lower one:

1. the schedule amount using the obligor’s net income only; and
2. the ordinary formula, using both parents’ combined income.

In the 2026 schedule the shaded area ends at $1,650 of obligor income for one child, $2,050 for two, $2,300 for three, $2,550 for four, $2,800 for five and $3,000 for six.

When the obligor’s net income is at or below the $1,255 reserve, subdivision (e)(1)(ii)(C) says the court “may award support only after consideration of the parties’ actual financial resources and living expenses.” There is no formula figure at that level, so the calculator gives none.

What if combined income is over $30,000 a month?

The schedule stops at $30,000 of combined monthly net income. Rule 1910.16-2(e)(2) says that above that level, the court “shall calculate child support” under Rule 1910.16-3.1, the high-income rule. This calculator does not cover that rule and shows no figure above $30,000. The 40% shared custody presumption still applies in high-income cases, under 1910.16-4(c)(1)(i).

Are child care and health insurance added?

Yes, on top of basic support, under Rule 1910.16-6. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-6)

• Child care. The court “shall allocate reasonable child care expenses paid by the parties, if necessary to maintain employment or appropriate education in pursuit of income.” The rule asks for documentation, such as a receipt or an invoice, and reduces the cost by the federal child care tax credit before splitting it.
• Health insurance. The premium for the children’s coverage is allocated between the parties. A premium the employer pays is not allocated.

Both depend on papers. Our guides to documenting child care costs and documenting medical expenses cover what to keep for each.

When can a court order a different amount?

The guideline figure is presumed correct, not fixed. Under Rule 1910.16-1(d)(1), the presumption is rebutted when the court makes a written finding, or a statement on the record, that the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate.

Rule 1910.16-5(a) requires a court that deviates to state, on the record or in writing, the guideline amount, the reason for deviating, its findings of fact and the amount of the deviation. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-5) Subdivision (b) lists what the court considers:

• unusual needs and unusual fixed obligations;
• other support obligations of the parties;
• other income in the household;
• the child’s age;
• the relative assets and liabilities of the parties;
• medical expenses not covered by insurance;
• the standard of living of the parties and their children; and
• other relevant and appropriate factors, including the best interest of the child.

The comment to Rule 1910.16-4 adds one more point worth knowing: an upward deviation should be considered when the obligor has little or no contact with the children.

Worked examples from the rules

Each example below is taken from the comments to Rules 1910.16-2 and 1910.16-4, which use the 2026 schedule. We ran each one through the calculator on this page and matched every figure.

Example 1: standard case, then more time. The obligor earns $5,000 a month net and the obligee $2,300, with two children. Combined income is $7,300 and the schedule gives $1,960. The obligor’s share is 68%, so basic support is $1,333. With 40% of overnights, the share drops to 58% and support to $1,137. At 45% it is 53%, or $1,039. With equal time it is 48%, or $941.

Example 2: equal time, close incomes. Mother earns $3,000 and Father $2,700, with two children and equal time. Mother earns more, so she is the obligor even though she filed. The schedule gives $1,715 and her 53% share falls to 33% with equal time, or $566. That would leave Father with $3,266 and Mother with $2,434, so the obligation is adjusted to split combined income equally: $150 a month.

Example 3: equal time, wider gap. Incomes of $3,000 and $2,500 with two children give a basic obligation of $1,694. The obligor’s 55% share would be $932. With equal time it falls to 35%, or $593, which would leave the obligee with more income than the obligor. The adjusted figure is $250.

Example 4: low income. The obligor earns $1,500 and the obligee $2,500, with two children. $1,500 is in the shaded area for two children. Using the obligor’s income alone, the schedule gives $223. Using both incomes, the combined $4,000 gives $1,377, and the obligor’s 38% share is $523. The lower figure applies, so support is $223.

Example 5: split custody. One child lives with Mother and two with Father. Mother earns $4,000 and Father $2,000. Rule 1910.16-4(d)(1) has the court offset the two obligations. Mother owes $1,189 for the two children with Father, Father owes $392 for the child with Mother, and Mother pays the difference, $797. The calculator above does not handle split custody, so run each direction separately.

How close is this to the official Pennsylvania estimator?

Pennsylvania’s child support program offers its own estimator on the state’s child support website. Use it alongside this page, and expect small differences.

This calculator follows the rules as printed and matched every worked example above. Three choices are our own, and each can move the result by a few dollars:

• Between $50 rows of the schedule, we scale the amount in a straight line between the two rows.
• We round the obligor’s income share to a whole percent, as the rule’s examples do.
• We work out the overnight percentage on line 25a to two decimal places.

Neither tool decides the case. A conference officer or judge applies the rules to the evidence, including evidence about income that neither calculator can see.

Can Pennsylvania child support be modified?

Yes. Rule 1910.19(a) says a petition to modify “shall specifically aver the material and substantial change in circumstances” behind it. (Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.19) As noted above, a new guideline amount from revised guidelines, such as the 2026 schedule, may count as one.

Under subdivision (c), the court can raise or lower the order based on the parties’ net incomes and “the party’s custodial time with the child at the time the modification petition is heard.” Time is measured when the petition is heard, not when the first order was made. If overnights have moved toward or past 40%, that shift belongs in the petition. Our guide to custody modification covers how a change in time is usually shown.

What should you keep for a support case?

A support figure is only as good as the numbers that go into it. These are the records that usually decide those numbers:

• Income. Pay stubs covering at least six months, since the rule ordinarily averages income over that period, plus tax returns and any records of bonuses or commissions.
• Deductions. Proof of the taxes, mandatory retirement payments and union dues the rule allows.
• Overnights. A dated note of each night the children spend with you, kept on the day. The 40% line and the equal time rules both turn on this count.
• Child care and health costs. Receipts and invoices, which Rule 1910.16-6 asks for. Our guide to keeping receipts covers what makes one useful.
• What support pays for. If spending is disputed, our guide to what child support covers explains what the basic amount is meant to include.

What this guide does not cover

• Spousal support and alimony pendente lite, which have their own formula in Rule 1910.16-4 and change the child support calculation when both are claimed.
• The high-income rule, 1910.16-3.1, for combined net income above $30,000 a month.
• Self-employment and business income in detail, Social Security derivative benefits paid for a child, and the varied custody schedules in 1910.16-4(d)(2).
• When child support ends, college costs, and how to file or serve a complaint. We did not check these against an official source for this guide, so we left them out.
• Additional expenses beyond child care and health insurance, such as unreimbursed medical costs and private school.
• Your county’s domestic relations section procedures. Speak to a Pennsylvania family law attorney about your own case, especially if income is disputed or custody is changing.

Frequently asked questions

References

All sources are official publications of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-1, Support obligation, support guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-2, Support guidelines, calculation of monthly net income. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-3, Support guidelines, basic child support schedule. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-4, Support guidelines, calculation of support obligation, formula. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-5, Support guidelines, deviation. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.16-6, Support guidelines, additional expenses allocation. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. (2026). 231 Pa. Code Rule 1910.19, Support, modification, guidelines as substantial change in circumstances. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. (2025). Order amending Rules 1910.1 to 1910.29 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, No. 767 Civil Procedural Rules Docket, 55 Pa.B. 5978. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Bulletin. (2025). Vol. 55, No. 34, August 23, 2025, basic child support schedule. Retrieved from https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/ PDF