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Child Support Laws in the United States (2026)

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 16, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 20, 2026. · 10 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Child Support Laws in the United States (2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

What federal law governs child support in the United States?

Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b), enacted in 1975, establishes the federal child support enforcement framework. It requires every state to operate a child support enforcement program and sets uniform rules for income withholding, passport denial, tax refund intercepts, and other enforcement tools. The federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) under HHS oversees all state programs.

Can child support arrears ever be forgiven or reduced?

Generally no. Under the Bradley Amendment (Pub. L. 99-509, 1986, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(9)), courts are prohibited from retroactively reducing or eliminating child support arrears. Once a payment is missed, that amount becomes a final unmodifiable judgment, even if the obligor was incarcerated, unemployed, or unaware of the order. The one statutory exception is the pending-petition rule in § 666(a)(9)(C): a state may modify support for the period a modification petition is pending, but only back to the date notice of that petition was given to the other parent. Anything that came due before that notice date stands.

What happens if you stop paying child support?

Federal and state law provide multiple enforcement mechanisms: automatic income withholding from wages, mandatory denial of a new passport, plus discretionary revocation or restriction of an existing one, once certified arrears exceed $2,500 (42 U.S.C. § 652(k)), federal and state tax refund intercepts (at $150 for TANF cases, $500 for non-TANF), credit bureau reporting, driver's and professional license suspension, property and bank account liens, and contempt of court, which can result in incarceration.

Do all states calculate child support the same way?

No. Each state has its own guidelines and formula, but all states use one of three main models recognized by NCSL: the Income Shares model (41 states, including New York and California with their own statutory variants), the Percentage of Income model (6 states: Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin), and the Melson Formula used by Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana. DC uses a separate hybrid model. While the formulas differ, all states follow the same federal rules for income withholding and enforcement.

What is the Income Shares model of child support?

The Income Shares model, used by 41 states, combines both parents' incomes and uses a guidelines table to estimate what they would have spent on the child if the family had remained together. That total obligation is then divided between the parents in proportion to each parent's share of combined income. The non-custodial parent pays their share as cash support; the custodial parent is presumed to spend their share directly on the child.

Can a child support order from one state be enforced in another?

Yes. All 50 states and D.C. have adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA, 2008 version), which ensures that only one state has jurisdiction over a child support order at a time. Income withholding orders issued in any U.S. state must be honored by employers in every other state under 42 U.S.C. § 666(b), and states cooperate to enforce each other's orders.

Updates

Corrected the federal enforcement section: credit-bureau reporting under 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(7) has no $1,000 threshold, passport denial is mandatory while revocation of an existing passport is discretionary once arrears exceed $2,500 under § 652(k), and a modification can reach back to the date the other parent received notice of the petition under § 666(a)(9)(C).

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Corrected the history of the federal passport-denial threshold for child support arrears: it was originally $5,000 under the 1996 welfare reform law and was lowered to the current $2,500 by the 2006 Deficit Reduction Act, not unchanged as previously stated.

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Reviewed and approved by an editor

State-by-state comparison

Each state guide below is paired with the governing statute our editors adjudicated for it, held in our own legal record and verified against the official source.

StateStatute citedCourt citations
AlabamaCode of Alabama 1975, Title 30: Marital and Domestic Relations. § 30-3-155 — Determination of Child Support.—
AlaskaAlaska Statutes, Title 25. Marital and Domestic Relations, Chapter 27. Child Support Services Agency § 25.27.060 — Order of support5 opinions · latest 2022
ArizonaArizona Revised Statutes, Title 25 (Marital and Domestic Relations), Chapter 3 (DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE), Article 2 (Dissolution of Marriage) § 25-320 — Child support; factors; methods of payment; additional…261 opinions · latest 2026
ArkansasArkansas Code of 1987 Annotated § 9-14-106 — Noncustodial parents — Amount of support — Definition.—
CaliforniaCalifornia Family Code § 405582 opinions · latest 2026
ColoradoColorado Revised Statutes, Title 14: Domestic Matters § 14-10-115 — Child support guidelines - purpose - determination of…5 opinions · latest 2012
ConnecticutConnecticut General Statutes, Title 46b (Family Law), Chapter 815j § 46b-84 — (Formerly Sec. 46-57). Parents' obligation for maintenance…—
DelawareDelaware Code, Title 13 (Domestic Relations), Chapter 005 (DESERTION AND SUPPORT) § 501 — Duty to support minor child; duty to support child over 18…—
District of ColumbiaCode of the District of Columbia, Title 16: Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. - Chapter 9: Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc. § 16-916.01 — Child Support Guideline.9 opinions · latest 2025
FloridaFlorida Statutes § 61.30 — Child support guidelines; retroactive child support.239 opinions · latest 2026
GeorgiaOfficial Code of Georgia Annotated § 19-6-15 — Child support guidelines for determining amount of award;…285 opinions · latest 2026
HawaiiHawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 576D: CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT § 576D-7 — Guidelines in establishing amount of child support32 opinions · latest 2024
IdahoIdaho Code § 32-706 — Child support13 opinions · latest 2024
IllinoisIllinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 750, Act 5 (Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act) § 505 — Child support; contempt; penalties—
IndianaIndiana Code, TITLE 31. FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW § 31-16-6-1 — Child support orders; relevant factors; income withholding;…—
IowaIowa Code, Chapter 598: DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS § 598.21B — Orders for child support and medical support.38 opinions · latest 2025
KansasKansas Statutes Annotated, Chapter 23: KANSAS FAMILY LAW CODE-REVISED § 23-3001 — Minor children; support and education; definition of unborn…5 opinions · latest 2025
KentuckyKentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 403: DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE -- CHILD CUSTODY § 403.212 — Child support guidelines -- Administrative regulation…113 opinions · latest 2026
LouisianaLouisiana Revised Statutes § 9:315.2 — Calculation of basic child support obligation72 opinions · latest 2025
MaineMaine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A: DOMESTIC RELATIONS, Part 3: PARENTS AND CHILDREN, Chapter 63: CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES § 2006 — Support guidelines55 opinions · latest 2026
MarylandMaryland Code, Family Law Article § 12-2042 opinions · latest 2003
MassachusettsMassachusetts General Laws, Chapter 119A § 13 — Support payments or installments; judgment by operation of…—
MichiganMichigan Compiled Laws § 552.605 — Child support order; deviation from formula; agreement80 opinions · latest 2026
MinnesotaMinnesota Statutes, Chapter 518A: CHILD SUPPORT § 518A.35 — GUIDELINE USED IN CHILD SUPPORT DETERMINATIONS9 opinions · latest 2025
MississippiMississippi Code of 1972 Annotated § 43-19-101 — Child support award guidelines.205 opinions · latest 2025
MissouriRevised Statutes of Missouri, Title XXX (DOMESTIC RELATIONS), Chapter 452 § 452.340 — Child support, how allocated — factors to be considered —…191 opinions · latest 2023
MontanaMontana Code Annotated, Title 40 § 40-4-204 — Child Support -- Orders To Address Health Insurance --…—
NebraskaNebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 42: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES § 42-364.16 — Child support guidelines; establishment; use60 opinions · latest 2026
NevadaNevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 125B: OBLIGATION OF SUPPORT § 125B.020 — Obligation of parents.—
New HampshireNew Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, TITLE XLIII DOMESTIC RELATIONS, CHAPTER 458-C CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES § 458-C:3 — Child Support Formula.41 opinions · latest 2024
New JerseyNew Jersey Statutes (Unannotated) § 2A:34-23 — Alimony, maintenance.—
New MexicoNew Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 40 § 40-4-11.1 — Child support; guidelines50 opinions · latest 2025
New YorkNew York Domestic Relations Law § 240 — Custody and child support; orders of protection1,319 opinions · latest 2026
North CarolinaNorth Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 50: Divorce and Alimony. § 50-13.4 — Action for support of minor child286 opinions · latest 2026
North DakotaNorth Dakota Century Code § 14-09-09.7 — Child support guidelines—
OhioOhio Revised Code § 3119.02 — Calculation of child support obligation—
OklahomaOklahoma Statutes, Title 43: MARRIAGE AND FAMILY § 118 — Child support guidelines—
OregonOregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 25: Support Enforcement § 25.275 — Formula for determining child support awards; criteria to…—
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 (Domestic Relations) § 4322 — Support guideline45 opinions · latest 2025
Rhode IslandRhode Island General Laws, Title 15: Domestic Relations, Chapter 15-5: Divorce and Separation § 15-5-16.2 — Child support1 opinions · latest 2002
South CarolinaSouth Carolina Code of Laws, Title 63: SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S CODE § 63-17-470 — Proceedings and awards—
South DakotaSouth Dakota Codified Laws, Chapter 25-7: SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS § 25-7-6.1 — Obligation of parents to support child--Liability of absent…—
TennesseeTennessee Code Annotated § 36-5-101 — Child support order — Jurisdiction — Amount of support —…—
TexasTexas Family Code § 154.125 — APPLICATION OF GUIDELINES TO NET RESOURCES—
UtahUtah Code, Title 81: Utah Domestic Relations Code § 81-6-202 — Determination of amount of child support -- Application of…—
VermontVermont Statutes Annotated, Title 15: Domestic Relations, Chapter 11: Annulment and Divorce, Subchapter: CHILD CUSTODY AND SUPPORT § 654 — Support guideline18 opinions · latest 2017
VirginiaCode of Virginia, Title 20: Domestic Relations § 20-108.2 — Guideline for determination of child support; quadrennial…—
WashingtonRevised Code of Washington § 26.19.020 — Child support economic table.103 opinions · latest 2024
West VirginiaWest Virginia Code § 48-13-201 — Use of both parents' income in determining child support.—
WisconsinWisconsin Statutes, Chapter 767: Actions Affecting The Family § 767.511 — Child support.8 opinions · latest 2024
WyomingWyoming Statutes, Title 20 - Domestic Relations - Chapter 2: Dissolution of Marriage - Article 3: Child Support § 20-2-304 — Presumptive child support.—

Each statute shown is the same adjudicated anchor its state guide renders, independently verified against primary sources. A dash means not yet adjudicated in our record — never that no law exists.

Sources and References

  1. Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, Child Support Enforcement (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b)(ssa.gov).gov
  2. Office of Child Support Services, FY 2024 Preliminary Data Report(acf.gov).gov
  3. OCSS Name Change Announcement, ACF, June 2023(acf.hhs.gov).gov
  4. Bradley Amendment, Prohibition on Retroactive Modification (42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(9))(uscode.house.gov).gov
  5. Passport Denial for Child Support Arrears (42 U.S.C. § 652(k))(uscode.house.gov).gov
  6. Federal Tax Refund Offset Program, 45 CFR § 303.72(ecfr.gov).gov
  7. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (2008), Uniform Law Commission(uniformlaws.org)
  8. Child Support Guideline Models by State, National Conference of State Legislatures(ncsl.org)
  9. New York Child Support Standards Chart (LDSS 4515, Rev. 03/26), NY OTDA(childsupport.ny.gov).gov
  10. RCW 26.19.020 (economic table, as amended by 2025 c 272)(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
  11. Colorado HB 25-1159(leg.colorado.gov).gov
  12. NJ Supreme Court order: child support guideline updating amendments(njcourts.gov).gov
  13. 42 U.S.C. § 666, State laws relating to child support enforcement (credit bureau reporting at (a)(7); Bradley Amendment at (a)(9)), U.S. Code via GovInfo(govinfo.gov)
  14. 42 U.S.C. § 652(k), Passport denial for child support arrearages exceeding $2,500, U.S. Code via GovInfo(govinfo.gov)
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