The Guidelines set a minimum child support amount of $91.00 per child per month.
Regardless of marital status, parents have a legal duty to support and provide for their children. This means you can pursue a child support order if you and the other legal parent are living apart and they are not appropriately contributing to your child's financial needs.
For one child, you take 17% of the parents' combined income, for two children you take 25%, for three children you take 29%, for four children you take 31% and for five children you take no less than 35% of the parents' combined income and this percentage amount represents the basic child support obligation.
The primary custodial parent is the parent with whom the child spends more time with. DRL § 236-B(7); DRL § 240(1-b); FCA § 413. Traditionally, this is determined by the number of nights that the child spends with each parent. Basic child support is primarily based upon the income of the parents.
Use the correct percentage of total income CSSA says should be devoted to child support: 17% for one child.
Effective March 1, 2024, for the next two years, the income cap for child support calculations is $183,000 (up from $163,000) and the income cap for maintenance is $228,000 (up from $203,000). Child support is calculated using the formula in the Child Support Standards Act DRL §240, FCA §413.