How Arkansas calculates child support
- Each parent’s monthly gross income is used, less child support they already pay under an order for other children. Spousal support the paying parent pays the other parent is moved to the other parent’s income.
- The parents’ incomes are added and the Family Support Chart gives the basic obligation for that combined income and number of children, using the chart row at or below the income.
- The children’s health insurance, extraordinary medical expenses and work-related child care are added and shared by income. The paying parent is credited with what they pay directly, and the result is rounded down to the whole dollar.
- If the chart amount for the paying parent’s income alone falls in the shaded self-support reserve area, support is figured on that parent’s income only, without the add-ons. A paying parent earning under $900 a month owes a presumptive minimum of $125.
- When the parents share time about equally, each parent’s share of the basic obligation is figured and the smaller is subtracted from the larger.
What the calculator asks
- How many children is the support for?
- How do the children split their overnights?
- Your gross income per month
- The other parent’s gross income per month
- Child support you pay under a court order for another child
- Child support the other parent pays under a court order for another child
- Spousal support you pay to the other parent per month
- Spousal support the other parent pays to you per month
- The children’s health insurance premium you pay per month
- The children’s health insurance premium the other parent pays per month
- Extraordinary medical expenses you pay per month
- Extraordinary medical expenses the other parent pays per month
- Work-related child care you pay per month
- Work-related child care the other parent pays per month
- Is a Social Security benefit paid for a child because of a parent’s disability or retirement?
It never asks for names, Social Security numbers or account numbers, and your answers are not saved.
What the estimate leaves out
- Deviations the court may make, including for 141 or more overnights with the paying parent (§ V.2)
- How the court adjusts for health insurance, medical and child care costs when time is shared equally (§ V.2)
- Social Security auxiliary benefits paid for the child, which count as support paid (§ V.5)
- Split custody and third-party custody (§ V.3, V.4)
- Imputed income (§ III.8)
- Support above the highest chart amount when combined income exceeds $30,000 a month (court discretion)
When a situation is outside what the calculator covers, it says so and points you to the official worksheet instead of guessing.
Official sources
- In re Amendments to Administrative Order No. 10, 2022 Ark. 185 (October 6, 2022), with the Forms Addendum
- Monthly Family Support Chart (required July 1, 2020)
- Child Support Worksheet (required July 1, 2020)
- Sample Language and Calculation (July 2020)
- Arkansas Judiciary, Arkansas Child Support Guidelines
Arkansas Child Support Worksheet (Administrative Order No. 10) →
Ready to estimate? The calculator shows each worksheet line so you can check it against the official form.
Open the Arkansas calculator →An estimate from the published guideline formula, not a prediction of a court order. The official court worksheet and the court’s decision control. General information, not legal advice. LawCat is not a law firm.