Texas Child Support: The Percentage Guidelines and the New $11,700 Cap
Texas family law · Last reviewed September 29, 2026
Texas child support is simpler than most states'. A court starts with the paying parent's net resources (roughly, take-home income) and applies a fixed percentage that depends on the number of children. The other parent's income doesn't enter the basic calculation. The guideline amount is presumed correct, and a judge who departs from it must explain why.
The biggest recent change is the cap. Since September 1, 2025, the percentages apply to the first $11,700 of the paying parent's monthly net resources, up from $9,200. Many websites still show the old figure.
The guideline percentages
Family Code § 154.125(b) sets the schedule for most parents:
| Number of children | Percentage of the obligor's net resources |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20% |
| 2 | 25% |
| 3 | 30% |
| 4 | 35% |
| 5 | 40% |
| 6 or more | Not less than the amount for 5 children |
For parents with low incomes, § 154.125(c) sets lower percentages: "If the obligor's monthly net resources are less than $1,000, the court shall presumptively apply the following schedule": 15 percent for one child, 20 for two, 25 for three, 30 for four and 35 for five or more.
Parents who also support children in another household use adjusted percentages in the multiple-family tables of §§ 154.128 and 154.129.
What counts as net resources
Net resources start from nearly all income. Under § 154.062(b), resources include "100 percent of all wage and salary income and other compensation for personal services (including commissions, overtime pay, tips, and bonuses)," plus interest, dividends, self-employment income, net rental income, retirement benefits, Social Security (other than SSI) and more.
From that, the court deducts Social Security taxes, federal income tax figured as for a single person claiming the standard deduction, union dues, and the cost of the child's health and dental insurance (§ 154.062(d)). To make this easier, the Attorney General publishes annual tax charts; the 2026 charts appeared in the Texas Register on December 19, 2025.
If a parent's income can't be proved, the court presumes income equal to the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour week (§ 154.068(a)). The 2026 tax chart computes that as $1,256.67 a month.
The cap: $11,700 since September 1, 2025
The percentages apply only up to a ceiling that the Attorney General adjusts for inflation every six years (§ 154.125(a-1)). The Attorney General's 2026 tax chart states the current figure:
Effective September 1, 2025, the adjusted amount determined under Subsection (a-1) is $11,700.00.
The same chart notes that an employed parent reaches $11,700 of net resources at a gross monthly wage of about $15,713.51. So guideline support tops out at:
| Children | Maximum guideline support per month |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,340 (20% of $11,700) |
| 2 | $2,925 (25%) |
| 3 | $3,510 (30%) |
| 4 | $4,095 (35%) |
| 5 | $4,680 (40%) |
The cap was set by the Attorney General under the statute's inflation formula, not by a new law. On the statute's six-year cycle, the next adjustment would take effect in 2031.
Above the cap
Support can exceed those figures, but only on proof of the child's needs. Under § 154.126(a), the court applies the percentage to net resources up to the cap, and then "may order additional amounts of child support as appropriate, depending on the income of the parties and the proven needs of the child." The parent asking for more has to prove what the child actually needs.
Worked examples
These show how the statute's arithmetic works. They are not predictions for any family.
- One child, net resources of $5,000 a month. 20% × $5,000 = $1,000 a month.
- Two children, net resources of $5,000. 25% × $5,000 = $1,250 a month.
- One child, net resources of $14,000. The percentage applies only to $11,700: 20% × $11,700 = $2,340 a month, plus more only if the child's proven needs justify it.
- One child, net resources of $900. The low-income schedule applies: 15% × $900 = $135 a month.
For a real estimate, use the Attorney General's child support calculator, which applies the tax charts. It computes guideline support only up to the $11,700 cap.
When a court departs from the guidelines
The guideline amount is presumed right, but § 154.123(b) lists factors that can justify a different amount. They include the child's age and needs, each parent's ability to contribute, the time each parent spends with the child, child care expenses incurred so a parent can work, spousal maintenance being paid, and any other reason consistent with the child's best interest. The court must state its reasons.
Unlike some states, Texas has no automatic add-on for day care: "child care expenses incurred by either party in order to maintain gainful employment" appear in that list as a reason to depart (§ 154.123(b)(6)).
Health and dental insurance
Every order must provide for the child's health care. The court orders health insurance if it is available at a "reasonable cost," defined as not more than nine percent of the obligor's annual resources for one child (§ 154.181(e)). Dental coverage is required if it costs no more than 1.5 percent of annual resources for one child (§ 154.1815(a)).
How long child support lasts
Family Code § 154.001(a) allows support:
(1) until the child is 18 years of age or until graduation from high school, whichever occurs later;
Support also ends if the child marries or is otherwise emancipated, or dies. It can continue indefinitely for a child with a disability that began before 18 and requires substantial care and personal supervision (§§ 154.001(a)(4), 154.302). Texas does not require parents to pay for college.
Changing child support
Under § 156.401(a), a court may modify support if circumstances have "materially and substantially changed," or if:
(2) it has been three years since the order was rendered or last modified and the monthly amount of the child support award under the order differs by either 20 percent or $100 from the amount that would be awarded in accordance with the child support guidelines.
A change applies only to payments that come due after the other parent is served or appears in the modification suit (§ 156.401(b)), so file as soon as your circumstances change. If the paying parent is jailed for more than 180 days, that counts as a material and substantial change (§ 156.401(c-1)).
The Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division is the state's child support agency and can help parents establish, change and enforce support orders.
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Texas?
By applying a percentage to the paying parent's monthly net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four and 40% for five or more. Lower percentages apply below $1,000 a month.
What is the child support cap in Texas for 2026?
$11,700 a month in net resources, effective September 1, 2025. Guideline support is calculated on income up to that amount; more requires proof of the child's needs.
How much is child support for one child in Texas?
20 percent of the paying parent's net resources, up to $2,340 a month at the $11,700 cap. If net resources are under $1,000 a month, it is 15 percent.
Does the other parent's income affect Texas child support?
Not in the basic calculation, which uses only the paying parent's net resources. The other parent's resources can matter as a reason to depart from the guidelines, or when support above the cap is sought.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Texas?
Not automatically. Equal time is a factor the court can weigh in departing from the guidelines, but it doesn't eliminate support by itself.
When does child support end in Texas?
At 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later, if the child is still in school and meeting attendance requirements. It can continue indefinitely for a disabled child. Texas doesn't require college support.
Can child support be changed in Texas?
Yes, on a material and substantial change in circumstances, or after three years if the guideline amount now differs by at least 20 percent or $100.
Where these sections live
- Family Code § 154.001 — Duration of support
- Family Code § 154.062 — Net resources
- Family Code § 154.123 — Departing from the guidelines
- Family Code § 154.125 — The percentage guidelines
- Family Code § 154.126 — Above the cap
- Family Code § 156.401 — Modifying support
- Texas Attorney General: child support calculator