All parents, whether they’re married to each other or not, must support their children financially. Every state has its own child support guidelines; these are the starting point for every decision about who will pay child support and how much. In general, the primary factors the court will consider are how much each parent earns and how much time each parent spends with the children. Other factors can come into play, too, including whether either parent has the ability to earn more, whether the child has special needs, and which parent pays for child care and health insurance. Support can last until the child is 18 or even longer, depending on where the parents and child live and on the child’s needs.
State by State Child Support Laws:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
D.C.
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
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Child Support: How Judges Decide the Amount
How do judges determine how much child support to order? State guidelines are the starting point.
Does Child Support Include College Expenses?
There’s a logic to believing that when your children become adults under state law, your obligation to support them ends, but this may not be the case.
How to Increase Child Support Payments
Find out how (and why) a court would order an increase in child support payments.
How to Respond To a Child Support Petition
When you receive a "petition" (formal written request) for child support, you need to know how to respond appropriately.
Enforcing Child Support Orders: Dealing With a Deadbeat Parent
Now more than ever, it’s becoming harder for deadbeat parents to skip out on child support. Strict laws have been enacted to establish and enforce child support orders.
How to Collect Child Support Arrears
Due to strong national policy there are more ways than ever for custodial parents to get a deliquent, non-custodial parent to pay "arrears" (past due child support).
Securing Child Support Obligations Through Life Insurance
Securing a child support obligation with a life insurance policy is an excellent way to make sure that child support payments will continue in the event of the paying parent's death.
Remarriage and Child Support in California
Learn how remarriage affects child support in California.