Child Support in Texas

Child support is one of the most important parts of a Texas family law case involving children. In broad terms, child support is the court-ordered financial support one parent pays to help meet a child’s needs. Under Texas Family Code § 154.001, the court may order either or both parents to support a child in the manner specified by the order, and that obligation can continue until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, with different rules applying in certain situations such as emancipation, death, or disability. 

In many cases, child support is discussed as though it is just a formula. Texas law does provide guideline support, but the analysis is often more nuanced than people expect. The court may begin with the statutory guidelines, but it can also consider whether the guideline amount is appropriate in the particular case, whether the child has special needs, whether medical support must be addressed, and whether a later modification or enforcement action is necessary. Chapter 154 of the Texas Family Code provides the basic framework. 

Basic Questions About Child Support in Texas

• What is child support in Texas? 

• How is child support usually calculated? 

• What are “net resources”? 

• What are the Texas guideline percentages? 

• What is the current child support cap? 

• Can a court order something different from the guideline amount? 

• Does child support include medical support? 

• Can child support be modified? 

• What happens if child support is not paid? 

  
  

What Is Child Support in Texas?

Child support is financial support ordered for the benefit of the child. Under Texas Family Code § 154.001, the court may order either or both parents to support a child in the manner specified by the order. The statute also addresses how long that obligation can continue, including until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, unless another statutory circumstance applies. 

In practice, one parent is often ordered to make periodic payments to the other parent, but the specific structure depends on the case. The point of child support is not to punish a parent. It is to help provide financial support for the child’s needs in a way the court considers appropriate under Texas law. 

How Is Child Support Usually Calculated?

Texas usually begins with the child support guidelines. Under Texas Family Code § 154.122, the amount of periodic child support established by the guidelines is rebuttably presumed to be reasonable and presumed to be in the best interest of the child. That means the guideline amount is the normal starting point, not necessarily the ending point in every case. 

The guideline system generally works by applying a percentage to the obligor’s net resources. That is why many child support cases begin with gathering income information, identifying allowable deductions, and determining what amount of net monthly resources the court will use for the calculation. 

What Are “Net Resources”?

Under Texas Family Code §§ 154.061 and 154.062, the court calculates net monthly income and net resources for purposes of determining child support liability. Section 154.062 provides that the court shall calculate net resources and identifies both the resources that may be included and the deductions that may be taken. 

On a broad level, net resources can include wages, salary, overtime, commissions, tips, bonuses, self-employment income, rental income, severance pay, retirement benefits, interest, dividends, trust income, annuities, capital gains, social security benefits other than SSI, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, and certain other income sources recognized by the statute. 

The statute also allows certain deductions in calculating net resources, including:

• social security taxes, 

• federal income tax based on the tax rate for a single person claiming one personal exemption and the standard deduction, 

• state income tax if applicable, 

• union dues, and 

• the cost of the child’s health insurance or cash medical support. 

  
  

That is why child support is not based simply on gross pay. In many cases, that analysis is straightforward. In others, especially where a parent is self-employed, receives irregular income, bonuses, commissions, business income, or other forms of compensation, the calculation can become much more involved. 

What Are the Texas Guideline Percentages?

Under Texas Family Code § 154.125, the guideline percentages based on the obligor’s monthly net resources are generally:

• 20% for 1 child 

• 25% for 2 children 

• 30% for 3 children 

• 35% for 4 children 

• 40% for 5 or more children 

  
  

Those percentages are the best-known part of Texas child support law, but they do not answer every question. Different rules may apply in multiple-family situations, and Chapter 154 includes separate provisions for that analysis. 

What Is the Current Child Support Cap?

The guideline percentages in Texas Family Code § 154.125 apply only up to the maximum amount of monthly net resources most recently published by the Title IV-D agency in the Texas Register. The statute also says that this amount is adjusted every six years to reflect inflation. Recent 2025 authorities report that the current cap is $11,700 in monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025. 

Using that cap, the maximum guideline support amounts under the ordinary percentage schedule are currently:

• 1 child: $2,340 per month 

• 2 children: $2,925 per month 

• 3 children: $3,510 per month 

• 4 children: $4,095 per month 

• 5 or more children: $4,680 per month 

  
  

That does not mean every case is capped at those numbers no matter what. It means those are the maximum guideline amounts under the ordinary cap-based analysis. In some cases, the court may consider whether support above the guideline amount is appropriate based on the child’s proven needs.

Can a Court Order Something Different from the Guideline Amount?

Yes. Texas Family Code § 154.123 allows the court to consider relevant factors when deciding whether the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate, and § 154.130 addresses the findings a court must make when the amount ordered varies from the guideline amount. 

Broadly speaking, deviation issues can arise where a child has proven special needs, where the financial circumstances of the parties are unusual, where the child’s expenses are atypical, or where the court concludes that the guideline amount does not fit the facts of the case. The key point is that Texas law recognizes both the guideline framework and the possibility that a case may justify a different amount. 

Does Child Support Include Medical Support?

Yes. In Texas, child support issues often include medical support and sometimes dental support as well. Texas Family Code § 154.181 addresses medical support for a child, and § 154.182 addresses the manner of providing medical support. Chapter 154 also includes provisions relating to dental support. 

That means a child support order often addresses more than just one monthly payment figure. It may also assign responsibility for health insurance coverage, cash medical support, reimbursement of uninsured expenses, and related support obligations affecting the child’s ongoing care. 

Can Child Support Be Modified?

Yes. Child support can be modified when the legal standard for modification is met. In Texas, modifications are generally governed by Texas Family Code Chapter 156, and common modification issues include whether circumstances have materially and substantially changed or whether enough time has passed with a sufficient difference between the existing amount and the guideline amount. 

In practical terms, modification issues often come up after job changes, income changes, shifts in the child’s needs, new medical expenses, changes in insurance costs, or other meaningful life events. The important point is that an existing order remains in effect until it is modified by the court. 

What Happens if Child Support Is Not Paid?

If court-ordered child support is not paid, the unpaid support can become the subject of an enforcement action. Texas law provides enforcement remedies for support obligations, and unpaid child support can lead to serious consequences depending on the facts and the type of enforcement sought. 

From a practical standpoint, enforcement cases are often just as important as the original support order. A support order only works if it is followed, and when it is not, the available remedies may become a major part of the case. 

Common Practical Issues in Texas Child Support Cases

Although child support is often discussed as a formula, the real disputes are usually more specific. Common issues include:

• how to calculate a parent’s net resources, 

• whether income is regular or irregular, 

• whether bonuses, commissions, or self-employment income should be counted, 

• whether the guideline amount should be followed or adjusted, 

• whether the current $11,700 cap affects the calculation, 

• how medical support should be handled, 

• whether an existing order should be modified, and 

• how to address missed payments or enforcement problems. 

  
  

Those issues are often what determine whether a child support order is workable in real life. 

Learn More About Child Support in Texas

Child support cases can involve much more than applying a percentage to income. The outcome may depend on how net resources are calculated, whether the guideline amount fits the facts of the case, whether the current cap affects the analysis, whether medical support is addressed correctly, and whether later modification or enforcement becomes necessary. 

If you have questions about child support, guideline calculations, modification, or enforcement, contact our office to discuss your circumstances and learn more about your options at verplankiorio.com.