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Pennsylvania Child Support Calculator
Parents' incomes & custody
Use monthly net income under Rule 1910.16-2: gross income minus federal, state and local income taxes, unemployment and Local Services Taxes, FICA, mandatory retirement payments, mandatory union dues and alimony paid to the other parent. Overnights are the nights the children spend with the paying parent each year (365 nights is the whole year; 146 nights is 40%).
Parent B earns 68% of the $7,300 combined income. With 0 overnights, no shared-custody reduction applies.
Example: Parent A $2,300 + Parent B $5,000 net income, 2 children, 0 overnights → basic obligation $1,960, Parent B's 68% share = $1,333 per month. With 146 overnights (40%), the share drops to 58% and support falls to $1,137.
Behind the numbers
How Pennsylvania calculates child support
Pennsylvania uses an income-shares model under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-1 to 1910.16-4. First, add both parents' monthly net incomes to get combined net income. Second, read the basic child support obligation for that combined income and the number of children from the schedule in Rule 1910.16-3. Third, split the basic obligation in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income. The paying parent — usually the parent with fewer overnights — owes their share to the other parent.
Combined net income $2,300 + $5,000 = $7,300. The schedule for $7,300 with 2 children gives a basic obligation of $1,960. Parent B earns 68% of the combined income ($5,000 ÷ $7,300), so Parent B owes 68% × $1,960 = $1,333 per month. This is the rule's own example (Rule 1910.16-4).
The schedule used
This calculator uses the full Basic Child Support Schedule in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3 as amended August 11, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026: combined monthly net income from $1,300 to $30,000 in $50 steps, for 1 to 6 children. For income between two $50 rows, the calculator uses the row at or below the income — the rule does not say how to treat income between rows. Above $30,000, Rule 1910.16-3.1 applies: the $30,000 amount plus 4.0% of the excess for 1 or 2 children, 4.7% for 3, 5.3% for 4, 5.8% for 5 and 6.3% for 6. The self-support reserve is $1,255 a month: when the paying parent's income is low, support is the lesser of the schedule amount on that parent's income alone and their income share of the combined amount (Rule 1910.16-2(e)).
Reference
Basic monthly obligation — sample rows from the schedule
| Combined monthly net income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children | 4 children | 5 children | 6 children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $461 | $678 | $685 | $693 | $700 | $708 |
| $3,000 | $691 | $1,053 | $1,272 | $1,421 | $1,563 | $1,658 |
| $5,000 | $1,080 | $1,629 | $1,949 | $2,177 | $2,394 | $2,603 |
| $7,300 | $1,322 | $1,960 | $2,304 | $2,574 | $2,831 | $3,078 |
| $10,000 | $1,661 | $2,452 | $2,871 | $3,207 | $3,527 | $3,834 |
| $15,000 | $2,240 | $3,247 | $3,729 | $4,165 | $4,582 | $4,980 |
| $20,000 | $2,748 | $4,060 | $4,759 | $5,316 | $5,848 | $6,356 |
| $30,000 | $3,749 | $4,981 | $5,803 | $6,482 | $7,130 | $7,750 |
Rows are copied from the 2026 schedule in Rule 1910.16-3. The calculator holds the full schedule ($1,300 to $30,000 in $50 steps), so any income in that range works — these rows are just a sample.
Tips before you rely on the number
Use net income, not gross pay — the schedule is based on income after taxes and the deductions listed in Rule 1910.16-2.
Keep pay stubs and tax returns: a court will want proof of income, and income can be imputed if a parent is voluntarily unemployed.
Overnights matter at 40% and above: 146 nights a year with the paying parent is the threshold for the shared-custody reduction.
Child care and health insurance are not in this figure — under Rule 1910.16-6 they are added on top of the basic obligation and shared by income percentage.
The guideline amount is presumed correct, but a court can depart from it with findings on the record, and support generally runs until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later.
Good to know
Pennsylvania support questions, answered.
How is child support calculated in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania uses the income-shares model: add both parents' monthly net incomes, read the basic child support obligation from the schedule in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3 for that combined income and the number of children, then split it in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income. The parent who pays support owes their share of the basic obligation.
What counts as net monthly income?
Under Rule 1910.16-2, monthly net income is gross income minus federal, state and local income taxes, unemployment and Local Services Taxes, FICA, mandatory retirement payments, mandatory union dues and alimony paid to the other parent. Voluntary retirement contributions and other voluntary deductions do not reduce net income.
Do overnights change the amount?
Yes, when the paying parent has the children for 40% or more of the year's overnights (146 nights or more). Under Rule 1910.16-4(c), the paying parent's percentage share is reduced by the time above 30%: 10 points at 40% of overnights, rising to 20 points at 50%. Below 40%, overnights do not change the basic amount.
Is this the official amount a court would order?
No. This is an estimate from the 2026 schedule in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3, effective January 1, 2026. A court can adjust for child care, health insurance, unreimbursed medical costs and other factors, and can depart from the guideline with findings on the record. Only the court or the domestic relations section sets the order, and this is not legal advice.