Louisiana Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator

Louisiana calculates child support using the income shares model, which combines both parents' adjusted gross incomes and applies them to a schedule of basic obligations under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.2. Each parent pays a share proportional to their contribution to the combined income.

Louisiana child support laws require both parents to contribute financially to raising their children. The state uses the income shares model, which bases the support obligation on the combined gross income of both parents. Louisiana's child support guidelines are found in Part I-A of Chapter 1 of Title 9 of the Revised Statutes, beginning at La. Rev. Stat. 9:315, and the state updated its child support schedule effective January 1, 2025. Use the Louisiana child support calculator below to estimate a guideline amount, or open the full-page Louisiana child support calculator for a detailed breakdown.

This guide covers how Louisiana calculates child support, what counts as income, how to apply for and modify support orders, enforcement penalties, and when support ends.

How Louisiana Calculates Child Support

Louisiana adopted the income shares method to determine child support. This approach recognizes that both parents have a legal duty to provide for their children financially, and it estimates what the parents would have spent on the child if the family had stayed together.

The calculation follows these steps under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.2:

1. Determine each parent's monthly gross income
2. Subtract any pre-existing child support or spousal support obligations to get each parent's adjusted gross income
3. Combine both parents' adjusted gross incomes
4. Look up the basic child support obligation in the schedule based on combined income and number of children
5. Divide the obligation proportionally based on each parent's share of the combined income
6. Add costs for health insurance, child care, and extraordinary expenses

The Child Support Schedule

The schedule of basic child support obligations is found in La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.19. This table was amended and reenacted by Act 86 (HB 773) during the 2024 Regular Session, with changes taking effect on January 1, 2025.

The schedule covers combined adjusted monthly gross incomes from $0 up to $45,500. For families with combined monthly income above $45,500, the court determines support on a case-by-case basis, considering the child's needs and each parent's ability to pay.

Here are examples from the 2025 Act 86 schedule for selected income levels:

These figures are from the current guideline schedule. Use the official Louisiana Child Support Estimator for accurate calculations based on your specific situation.

Worksheet A vs. Worksheet B

Louisiana provides two worksheets for calculating child support under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.8 and La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.9:

• Worksheet A applies when one parent has primary physical custody and in standard joint custody arrangements. The noncustodial or non-domiciliary parent pays their proportional share of the total obligation to the custodial parent.
• Worksheet B applies to shared custody arrangements where each parent has the child for approximately equal time. The basic child support obligation is multiplied by 1.5, then divided between the parents in proportion to their respective adjusted gross incomes.

If the non-domiciliary parent has physical custody for more than 73 days per year under a joint custody order, the court may credit their obligation to reflect actual time spent with the child.

Before completing either worksheet, you will need:

• Both parents' income documentation
• Health insurance costs for the child
• Work-related child care expenses
• Unreimbursed medical expenses (over $250 per year per child)
• Educational expenses for special needs
• Extraordinary transportation costs between parents' homes

What Counts as Income in Louisiana

Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315, Louisiana courts consider gross income from all sources when calculating child support, including:

• Wages, salaries, and commissions
• Bonuses and dividends
• Pensions and annuities
• Capital gains and interest income
• Self-employment income
• Unemployment and disability benefits
• Workers' compensation
• Social Security benefits
• Trust and investment income
• Rental income
• Military housing and subsistence allowances
• Company vehicles or employer-provided housing, when significant

Child support received for other children and public assistance benefits are excluded from gross income.

Imputed Income for Voluntarily Unemployed Parents

Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.11, if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may calculate support based on that parent's earning potential rather than actual income.

When deciding whether to impute income, the judge considers:

• The parent's age and health
• Employment history and job skills
• Education level
• Local job market conditions
• Availability of employers willing to hire the parent

If there is no evidence of actual income or earning potential, Louisiana law creates a rebuttable presumption that the parent can earn a weekly gross amount equal to 32 hours at the applicable minimum wage (state or federal, whichever is higher).

2025 Update: Effective January 1, 2025, Louisiana expanded the caregiver exemption. A parent will not be considered voluntarily unemployed or underemployed if they have caregiving responsibility for a child who needs close supervision and care because of a serious intellectual or physical disability. Previously, the exemption only applied to parents caring for a child under age five.

How to Apply for Child Support in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) administers child support enforcement services. Parents who do not receive Medicaid, FITAP, or KCSP pay a non-refundable $25 application fee.

Apply for child support services online or call 1-888-524-3578.

DCFS provides the following services:

• Establishing paternity through genetic testing or voluntary acknowledgment
• Locating absent parents using state and federal databases
• Establishing child support orders by working with the court system
• Collecting and distributing payments through income withholding and other methods
• Enforcing existing orders when a parent falls behind on payments
• Reviewing and adjusting orders when circumstances change

How to Modify Child Support in Louisiana

Louisiana allows child support modification when there is a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing. The governing statute is La. Rev. Stat. 9:311.

The 25% Guideline Variance Presumption

In cases where DCFS is providing support enforcement services, La. Rev. Stat. 9:311(C)(1) creates a rebuttable presumption that a material change in circumstances exists when a strict application of the child support guidelines would result in at least a 25% change in the existing child support award.

Two limits on that presumption are easy to miss. It runs to the threshold element, a material change in circumstances, and not to whether the court must actually change the order. And by the terms of the statute it applies in DCFS-enforcement cases; in a privately filed modification with no DCFS involvement, the moving party proves a material change under the general rule in R.S. 9:311(A)(1).

Even where the presumption applies, the court retains discretion in both directions. Under R.S. 9:311(C)(2), a judge may:

• Grant modification even without a 25% difference if a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing is proven
• Deny modification even with a 25% difference, based on a finding that applying the guidelines would not be in the best interest of the child or would be inequitable to the parties

Important exception: If the original amount resulted from a court-approved deviation from the guidelines under R.S. 9:315.1, the 25% presumption does not apply unless the circumstances that justified the deviation have themselves changed.

Incarceration: Suspension Under R.S. 9:311.1

Incarceration has its own statute, and it does not work like an ordinary modification. Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:311.1, every child support order is suspended when the obligor is incarcerated for, or sentenced to, 180 consecutive days or more. "Suspension" is defined by the statute to mean modification of the order to zero dollars for the period of incarceration. Incarceration does not include probation or parole, and it does not cover an obligor who is permitted to earn wages from employment outside the facility.

Where DCFS is providing support enforcement services, the machinery runs through the agency rather than through a motion by the incarcerated parent. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections or the parish sheriff must notify DCFS, and the department must then file an affidavit with the court within 15 days. The suspension begins on the date that affidavit is filed. R.S. 9:311(D)(2) confirms that no material change in circumstances has to be shown to suspend or modify support under this section.

Three practical limits are worth knowing:

• Past-due support is not erased. R.S. 9:311.1(H) leaves any support that accrued before the suspension took effect fully owed.
• You may still need to file. R.S. 9:311.1(F) preserves either party's right to seek a suspension or modification independently, which matters when DCFS is not providing services in the case.
• The order comes back automatically. A suspended order resumes by operation of law on the first day of the second full month after release, and either party or DCFS may petition before that date for a hearing to set the resuming terms.

Valid Grounds for Modification

• Substantial change in either parent's income (increase or decrease)
• Job loss or disability
• Changes in the child's needs (medical, educational)
• Changes in custody or parenting time arrangements
• Imprisonment of the obligor parent
• Bankruptcy

How to Request Modification

You can pursue modification through two paths:

Through DCFS: Contact the Child Support Modification Process or call 1-888-524-3578 to request a review of your order.

On your own or with an attorney: File a Rule to Modify Child Support with the clerk of court's office in the parish where your order was issued. You will need to provide:

• Proof of current income (pay stubs, tax returns)
• Child care costs
• Health insurance information
• Out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Documentation of the changed circumstances

Warning: Filing a frivolous modification request can result in the court ordering you to pay the other party's attorney fees and court costs. Before filing a Rule to Modify, ask a Louisiana family lawyer in a free case evaluation whether your change meets the material-change standard (attorney advertising).

Enforcement: What Happens If You Do Not Pay

Louisiana enforces child support aggressively. The state has both administrative and criminal tools available to collect unpaid support.

Administrative Enforcement Actions

DCFS and the courts can take the following actions without a criminal prosecution:

• Wage and income withholding (garnishment)
• Interception of federal and state tax refunds
• Bank account levy and seizure
• Suspension of driver's license
• Suspension of recreational licenses (hunting, fishing)
• Suspension of professional licenses
• Denial or suspension of passport
• Vehicle registration suspension
• Contempt of court proceedings
• Liens on property

Criminal Penalties Under the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act

Louisiana's "Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act" under La. Rev. Stat. 14:75 imposes criminal penalties for intentional failure to pay child support:

Criminal charges may apply when a parent has not paid support for more than six months or owes more than $2,500 in arrears.

If arrears exceed $15,000 and remain unpaid for at least one year, the penalties increase to a fine of up to $2,500 and imprisonment with or without hard labor.

The law does provide an opportunity for leniency. If the parent makes full restitution before sentencing (except for second or subsequent offenses), the court may suspend all or part of the sentence.

Most Wanted Delinquent Payors List

If you owe six months of back support or at least $10,000, your name, photograph, address, and occupation may be published on the state's Most Wanted Delinquent Payors page.

Federal Criminal Charges

Delinquent parents may also face federal charges if they willfully refuse to pay child support and either live in a different state than the child or have traveled to another state to avoid paying. Federal prosecution typically requires that the parent has not paid for more than one year or owes at least $5,000 in back support.

When Does Child Support End in Louisiana?

Child support in Louisiana does not always end automatically at age 18. Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22, the general rules are:

• Age 18: Support terminates when the child reaches the age of majority (18) or becomes emancipated
• Age 19: Support continues until age 19 if the child is unmarried, dependent on either parent, and enrolled as a full-time student in good standing in a secondary school or its equivalent

Support for Disabled Children (2025 Update)

Louisiana has two separate rules extending support for children with disabilities. Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22(D)(1)(a), a court may continue support for a minor child with a developmental disability until the child turns 22, as long as the child remains a full-time student in secondary school; a motion to continue support on this basis must be filed before the child reaches the age of majority (18). Separately, effective January 1, 2025, Act 448 (HB 770) created La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22.1:

• Intellectual or physical disability: Support continues indefinitely for an unmarried child who is incapable of self-support and requires substantial care and personal supervision, provided the disability was manifested before the child reached age 18

An action to establish or continue support under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22.1 may be filed regardless of the child's age. Substance abuse or addiction does not qualify as a disability under this statute. The court may also consider the child's eligibility for public benefits and may establish trusts to serve the child's best interests.

Key change: Under the prior law, support for disabled children was addressed less specifically. The new statute creates a clearer legal framework and explicitly permits filing actions regardless of the child's current age.

Emancipation in Louisiana

Minors can become emancipated and potentially end child support obligations through three methods:

• Marriage with parental consent
• Court hearing where the minor demonstrates readiness for independence
• Authentic act (notarized document signed by the parent)

To qualify for judicial emancipation, the minor must be at least 16 years old, financially independent, and have a legal income source. Emancipation does not affect age-based laws such as the legal drinking age.

Termination of Parental Rights

Louisiana allows parents to voluntarily relinquish parental rights, but the standards are strict. If parental rights are terminated, the parent has no financial obligation to the child and no say in how the child is raised.

Voluntary termination typically occurs in the context of adoption. Involuntary termination may occur if the court finds:

• The parent has abandoned the child
• The parent is addicted to drugs
• The parent has committed a serious felony resulting in bodily injury or death
• There is evidence of abuse, neglect, incest, or other serious misconduct

More Louisiana Laws

• Louisiana Alimony Laws
• Louisiana Child Custody Laws
• Louisiana Divorce Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is child support in Louisiana for one child?

The amount depends on both parents' combined adjusted gross income. For example, if the combined monthly income is $5,000, the basic obligation for one child is $933 under the current schedule. Louisiana uses a schedule that increases the obligation as combined income rises. Use the official Louisiana Child Support Estimator at dcfs.louisiana.gov to calculate your specific obligation.

Does parenting time affect child support in Louisiana?

Yes. Louisiana uses different worksheets depending on the custody arrangement. Worksheet A applies when one parent has primary custody or under standard joint custody. Worksheet B applies to shared custody where both parents have approximately equal time; it multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5 before dividing it proportionally. If the non-domiciliary parent has custody for more than 73 days per year, the court may also credit the obligation to reflect actual time spent.

Can parents agree to waive child support in Louisiana?

No. Child support is considered a right that belongs to the child, not the parents. While parents can agree on an amount different from the guidelines, a judge must approve any agreement and ensure it serves the child's best interests. A parent cannot waive or bargain away the child's right to support.

What happens to child support if a parent goes to jail in Louisiana?

Louisiana has a statute specifically for this. Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:311.1, a child support order is suspended, meaning modified to zero dollars, when the obligor is incarcerated for or sentenced to 180 consecutive days or more. Where DCFS is providing support enforcement services, the suspension is triggered by an affidavit the department files with the court within 15 days of being notified by Corrections or the sheriff, not by a motion from the incarcerated parent, and it takes effect on the date that affidavit is filed. Support that was already past due before the suspension is still owed. Either party may also seek a suspension or modification on their own, which matters when DCFS is not involved in the case. The order resumes by operation of law on the first day of the second full month after release.

Is there a statute of limitations on child support arrears in Louisiana?

Child support judgments in Louisiana are enforceable for 10 years from the date they become final. However, the judgment can be renewed before it expires to continue enforcement. Back child support does not simply go away because time has passed. Contact an attorney or DCFS at 1-888-524-3578 for help with enforcement of past-due support.