If I Make $1,000 a Week, How Much Child Support Do I Pay?
The honest answer: it depends on your state's model — and in most states, on the other parent's income too. Here is the actual math, computed from each state's official guideline schedule.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Weekly Income Ladder — Texas (Percentage Model)
Texas is the cleanest case: guideline support is a flat percentage of the paying parent's monthly net resources (Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125) — 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, capped at $11,700/month. Weekly pay × 52 ÷ 12 = monthly.
| Weekly income | ≈ Monthly | 1 child (20%) | 2 children (25%) | 3 children (30%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500/week | $2,167 | $433 | $542 | $650 |
| $750/week | $3,250 | $650 | $813 | $975 |
| $1,000/week | $4,333 | $867 | $1,083 | $1,300 |
| $1,500/week | $6,500 | $1,300 | $1,625 | $1,950 |
| $2,000/week | $8,667 | $1,733 | $2,167 | $2,600 |
Assumes the full paycheck counts as net resources; Texas nets out taxes, union dues, and the child's health insurance first, so your guideline figure may be lower. Below $1,000/month net resources, reduced percentages apply.
Income-Shares States — Both Incomes Count
Most states combine both parents' incomes, read the total obligation from an official schedule, and split it proportionally. Scenario below: you earn the amount shown, the other parent earns half as much (so you owe two-thirds of the schedule amount) — interpolated from each state's official schedule, before add-ons and parenting-time credits.
| Your annual income | Florida (1 child) | North Carolina (1 child) | Georgia (1 child) | Oregon (1 child) | Arkansas (1 child) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000/year | $667/mo | $597/mo | $591/mo | $525/mo | $491/mo |
| $60,000/year | $834/mo | $739/mo | $739/mo | $618/mo | $626/mo |
| $80,000/year | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule |
| $100,000/year | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule | above schedule |
Simplified estimates interpolated from official schedules (Fla. Stat. § 61.30 · N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-13.4 · O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 · ORS 25.270–25.290 with OAR 137-050-0700 et seq. · Ark. Sup. Ct. Admin. Order No. 10). A different income split changes the result — use your state's calculator below for your numbers.
Why the Same Paycheck Gives Different Answers
States use three different guideline models. Percentage-of-income (Texas) looks only at the paying parent: a fixed share of net resources per child. Income shares (the large majority) reconstructs what the intact household would have spent from both parents' combined income, then splits it. And guideline formulas (California) run an algebraic formula over both incomes and the parenting-time split.
On top of the model, states differ on gross vs. net income, low-income floors, high-income caps, and how parenting time reduces the bill. That is why "how much for $1,000 a week?" has nine different correct answers on this page alone.
Your Case Details
Answer a few questions to see your estimated range.
Approximate gap between higher-earner and lower-earner.
Estimated Monthly Support
$840 — $1,560
State formulas vary significantly. This estimate uses national averages — your state's guidelines may produce a different number.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I make $1,000 a week, how much child support do I pay?
There is no single national answer — it depends on your state's model. In Texas, $1,000/week is about $4,333/month; if that is all net resources, guideline support is $867/month for one child (20%) and $1,083 for two (25%). In income-shares states like Florida or Georgia, the answer also depends on the other parent's income — see the scenario tables above.
If I make $60,000 a year, how much child support do I pay?
$60,000/year is $5,000/month. In Texas (percentage model, applied to net resources): $1,000/month for one child, $1,250 for two, $1,500 for three. In income-shares states, both parents' incomes are combined first — with the other parent earning half as much, expect roughly the amounts in the $60,000 row of our annual table.
Is child support based on gross or net income?
It varies by state. Texas and Florida use net income (after specific statutory deductions), while North Carolina, Georgia, Oregon, Arkansas, Indiana, and Ohio start from gross income. That is one reason the same paycheck produces different support amounts in different states.
Does the other parent's income matter?
In most states, yes. Income-shares states (the large majority, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana) combine both parents' incomes to set the total obligation, then split it proportionally. Texas is the big exception: the guideline looks only at the paying parent's net resources.
Why do these tables show different numbers than online calculators?
Our tables show the guideline baseline from each state's official schedule — before health-insurance add-ons, child-care costs, and parenting-time credits, which can move the final order substantially in either direction. Use them to understand the ballpark, then run your state's official calculator for the precise figure.