Family Law

Child Support in Texas

By Ted Smith, Attorney · Originally published July 13, 2020. Updated July 16, 2026.

When parents divorce or separate in Texas, child support isn’t a number a judge picks out of thin air. Texas courts use a statutory formula built on the paying parent’s net income. That parent is called the “obligor.” Here’s how the calculation actually works, and where it gets more complicated than it looks.

Step one: calculating net resources

Texas Family Code § 154.062 starts with gross income: wages, salary, commissions, overtime, tips, bonuses, retirement income, disability income, and most other income sources. From that gross figure, the law allows specific deductions to arrive at “net resources”: Social Security taxes (or mandatory retirement contributions if the parent doesn’t pay Social Security tax), federal income tax, union dues, and the cost of health and dental insurance for the children.

What’s left, divided by 12, is the obligor’s monthly net resources. The Texas Attorney General publishes annual tax charts and an online calculator to help with this math, but those tools don’t replace a careful, case-specific calculation. It’s easy to miss a deduction or misclassify a type of income.

Step two: applying the guideline percentages

Once monthly net resources are calculated, Texas Family Code § 154.125 sets the baseline percentage of those resources owed in support:

• 1 child: 20%
• 2 children: 25%
• 3 children: 30%
• 4 children: 35%
• 5 children: 40%
• 6 or more children: not less than the amount for 5 children

These percentages apply up to a net resources cap set by the Attorney General’s office and adjusted periodically; above that cap, a judge has discretion to order additional support based on the children’s needs. The percentages also decrease if the obligor already pays support for children from another relationship, since the law accounts for total obligations across households.

Texas applies a separate low-income schedule when monthly net resources are below $1,000. Under that schedule, the percentages are 15% for one child, 20% for two, 25% for three, 30% for four, and 35% for five or more. The applicable schedule and any multiple-household adjustment must be identified before treating a percentage as the guideline amount.

When the guideline amount doesn’t fit

The guideline calculation is meant to be predictable, but Texas Family Code § 154.123 allows a parent to ask a judge to deviate from it. To succeed, the parent requesting the deviation has to present evidence that the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate given the specific facts, such as the child’s special needs, unusual travel costs for custody exchanges, or a significant disparity in each parent’s resources.

Military families face extra complexity

For Fort Hood (formerly Fort Cavazos) families, the net resources calculation can get more complicated. Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence may be exempt from federal income tax, but they can still be included in financial resources for Texas child support. Deployments and PCS moves can also affect income documentation and custody schedules mid-case. If your situation involves VA disability compensation alongside a child support obligation, or questions about how military retirement pay factors into the household’s finances, those issues deserve a careful look rather than a generic answer.

Why a small miscalculation matters

Even a modest error compounds. A child support order that’s off by a relatively small monthly amount adds up significantly over the months and years an order stays in effect. Because the calculation depends on correctly classifying income, applying the right deductions, and accounting for other support obligations, it’s worth getting the math right at the start rather than filing a modification later.

How payments are processed

Texas court orders generally direct child support payments through the Texas Child Support Disbursement Unit, subject to statutory exceptions and the order’s terms. The unit records the payment before forwarding it to the receiving parent. This creates an official record of what’s been paid and when, which matters if a dispute over arrears ever comes up. Paying outside the method required by the order, even with good intentions, can create problems proving or receiving credit for the payment.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as “income” for child support purposes? Texas Family Code § 154.062 defines it broadly: wages, salary, commissions, tips, bonuses, self-employment income, retirement and pension income, and most disability benefits. Some sources, like certain public assistance, are excluded.

Does child support change if custody is roughly equal? Possibly. The statutory guidelines were built around a standard possession arrangement. Courts have discretion to consider actual time each parent spends with the children when the split is closer to equal, but that doesn’t happen automatically.

How long does a Texas child support order last? Generally until the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever is later, unless the child has a disability that extends the obligation. Any unpaid arrears continue to be owed and accrue interest until fully paid, even after that date.

Can child support be changed later? Yes, if there’s a material and substantial change in circumstances, either parent can ask the court to modify the order. That requires a new filing, not an informal agreement between parents.

Do I have to use the Attorney General’s office to get child support? No, but the OAG Child Support Division can help establish and enforce orders. Parents working with a private attorney can also file directly through the family courts.

Sources

• Texas Family Code, Chapter 154 (Child Support), Texas Legislature Online
• Texas Office of the Attorney General: Military Parents and Child Support
• Child Support in Texas, TexasLawHelp.org
• Office of the Attorney General: Child Support Division, TexasLawHelp.org directory listing

If you have questions about calculating, requesting, or modifying child support in Killeen, Harker Heights, Temple, Copperas Cove, or the surrounding Fort Hood communities, call or text (254) 690-5688 for a consultation, or reach out through our contact page.