The Indiana Child Support Obligation Worksheet (COW) is an Excel-based tool used by the Indiana Department of Child Services to calculate the amount of child support a parent is obligated to pay. The COW is used to determine the amount of support based on the Indiana Child Support Guidelines. Depending on the situation, there are three different versions of the COW: the Standard COW, the Shared Parenting COW, and the Public Assistance COW. The Standard COW is used for families with a custodial parent and a noncustodial parent, while the Shared Parenting COW is used for families in which both parents share custody. Lastly, the Public Assistance COW is used for cases in which one or both parents receive public assistance.