Pro Se AcademyChild Support
Guideline percentages, net resources, medical/dental support, and the OAG.
1. How guideline child support is calculated
- Apply the guideline percentages to net resources.
- Identify what counts as net resources.
- Know when the court may deviate.
Texas guideline child support is a percentage of the paying parent's (obligor's) monthly net resources (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125):
| Children before the court | Net resources $1,000+/month | Under $1,000/month (low-income) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20% | 15% |
| 2 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | 30% | 25% |
| 4 | 35% | 30% |
| 5 | 40% | 35% |
| 6+ | Not less than 5-child amount | Not less than 5-child amount |
§ 154.125(b)–(c).
Net resources are broadly defined to include wages, self-employment income, and most other income, minus Social Security taxes, federal income tax (computed as a single person), state income tax if any, union dues, the cost of the child's court-ordered health and dental insurance or cash medical support, and, if the obligor doesn't pay Social Security tax, mandatory retirement contributions (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.062). For orders on or after Sept. 1, 2025, the guidelines apply to the first $11,700 of monthly net resources (it was $9,200), per the Attorney General's Texas Register notice. Above that, the court may add support based on the child's proven needs (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.126). Estimate with the OAG calculator. Different percentages apply when the obligor supports children in more than one household (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.129). The court may deviate from guidelines if applying them would be unjust or inappropriate, but it must make findings (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.123, 154.130).
Courts also order medical and dental support (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 154 subch. B and D). Support is usually paid by income withholding (TexasLawHelp.org form FM-IW-200) through the State Disbursement Unit.
Practice questions
Practice 1. Chris has monthly net resources of $4,000 and two children before the court, with no other children. What is guideline support?
Practice 2. A parent says, "I'll stop paying support until she lets me see the kids." Is that allowed?
2. Mandatory exchange of financial information
- List what a typical standing order requires parents to exchange and when.
Use the document exchange checklist to gather these documents.
Practice questions
Practice 1. In a SAPCR in a county with this kind of standing order, a temporary-orders hearing is set 12 days after the father filed his answer. Must he produce his tax returns before the hearing?