{"id":375965,"date":"2018-04-17T14:27:12","date_gmt":"2018-04-17T19:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-child-support-calculations.html"},"modified":"2025-04-28T15:30:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:30:29","slug":"pennsylvania-child-support-calculations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-child-support-calculations.html","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Child Support Calculations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pennsylvania Child Support Calculations<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

When parents divorce<\/a> or separate, one of the most contentious issues to decide is child support. You can’t calculate child support until you have a custody arrangement. Once the parties determine custody, the courts can calculate child support.<\/p>\r\n

In most child support cases, the non-custodial parent<\/a> (NCP) must make monthly payments. This is because the parent with primary physical custody spends more overnights with the kids.<\/p>\r\n

You must understand how they determine child support because most child support obligations<\/a> stay in place until the child is 18. If you believe you’re experiencing special circumstances, you’ll want to raise them during the initial child support hearing.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we’ll explain how family law judges in Pennsylvania determine how much child support<\/a> the NCP must pay each month. We will also explain the rights and duties of the obligor and the obligee.<\/p>\r\n

If you have a child support issue, contact a Pennsylvania family law attorney<\/a> right away. They can help protect your rights.<\/p>\r\n

Pennsylvania Follows the Income-Shares Model<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Pennsylvania calculates child support, like many other states, using the income shares model<\/a>. The Pennsylvania child support guidelines assume that children will enjoy the same proportion of parental income as they did when their parents were together.<\/p>\r\n

Pennsylvania bases its guidelines on net income<\/a> rather than gross income. Using the state’s child support estimator, you can get an idea of how much child support you’ll owe. But you must remember that other factors affect the actual amount of child support you must pay.<\/p>\r\n

The basic child support obligation depends on:<\/p>\r\n