(817) 799-6834

(817) 799-6834

Talk to a Counselor Now
Talk to a Counselor Now
Expectant Fathers

Cost of Child Support in Texas

Learn about the cost of child support in Texas

When your girlfriend is pregnant, one of the first things you may wonder about is the cost of child support for fathers. Calculating the cost of child support in Texas can be fairly complicated. Our team at Legacy Adoption Services® is happy to work with you to understand Texas child support laws and how much child support you may be responsible for, and so that you can move forward with a solid plan for your and your girlfriend’s next steps.

How is the cost of child support determined in Texas?

Under Texas child support laws, monthly child support payments are based on a fixed percentage of the noncustodial parent’s net monthly resources. The calculation is not based on total gross income. Assuming that you only have one child to support, and that you earn more than $1,000 a month, the state requires payment of 20% of your net resources.

To calculate how much you might need to pay in child support, first assess your gross income, which includes wages, salaries, bonuses and overtime, as well as any other sources of income, such as rental income or commissions from a job. Next, you can deduct your federal income taxes, Social Security payments, and the cost of health and dental insurance premiums that you must provide for the child. The resulting number represents your net resources.

There are a few other considerations for calculating the cost of child support in Texas.

  • The maximum net resources amount that the state of Texas considers when calculating child support is $11,700 per month. If you earn more than that, only the first $11,700 counts for the calculation of how much you will pay. So, the most you will have to pay to support one child is $2,340 a month, or 20% of $11,700.
  • If you have other children that you must support, your cost of child support in Texas will be different. For example, if you’re supporting two children, the most you will need to pay in child support is $2,925 per month, or 25% of the statutory cap. That number increases with the number of children you support.
  • Different guidelines apply for low-income individuals. If you make less than $1,000 a month, you will pay 15% of your income in child support, instead of 20%.

Learn more about paying child support in Texas

If you’re unexpectedly expecting a baby with a girlfriend, it’s important to get all the facts about the realities of parenting before you come to a decision and take your next steps. Our experienced options counselors are happy to speak with you to help you evaluate all of your options and learn more about child support in Texas, without pressuring you to choose one option over another. Contact us anytime at (817) 799-6834 to learn more about Texas child support laws and how to calculate what you must pay in child support as a noncustodial parent.

In Texas, child support is based on a fixed percentage of the noncustodial parent’s net resources. Only the first $11,700 in net resources each month are considered. For one child, the payment is 20% of net resources when the parent earns more than $1,000 a month.

For one child, the maximum child support amount is $2,340 per month when the statutory cap of $11,700 is used. If you are supporting two children, the maximum is $2,925 per month.

Different guidelines apply for low-income individuals in Texas. If you make less than $1,000 a month, you will pay 15% of your income in child support, instead of the standard 20% for one child.

Fathers