Iowa Child Support Calculator (2026)
Iowa calculates child support under income-shares guidelines (Iowa Ct. R. 9.1-9.27 (adopted under Iowa Code § 598.21B)). Estimate the guideline amount below.
Income basis: combined adjusted net monthly income of both parents.
Enter the income above to see the guideline estimate.
Simplified guideline estimate, interpolated from the official schedule — before health-insurance, childcare, and parenting-time adjustments. For the exact figure use the official Iowa calculator.
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.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Iowa uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes are combined, the official schedule sets a basic support obligation, and each parent owes their proportional share (Iowa Ct. R. 9.1-9.27 (adopted under Iowa Code § 598.21B)). The calculator above interpolates the official schedule for a quick estimate — health-insurance, child-care, and parenting-time adjustments come on top.
How Iowa Calculates Child Support
Iowa uses the Income Shares model under Iowa Court Rule Chapter 9 (Rules 9.1-9.27), but unlike most income-shares states it bases the calculation on each parent's NET monthly income rather than gross — the mandatory worksheet converts gross income to net by subtracting standardized federal and state tax liability, FICA/mandatory pension, and other listed deductions before applying the official Iowa Schedule of Basic Support Obligations (Rule 9.26). The guidelines are reviewed roughly every four years as required by Iowa Code § 598.21B; the current version was adopted by Iowa Supreme Court Order on September 29, 2025, effective January 1, 2026.
Statutory basis: Iowa Ct. R. 9.1-9.27 (adopted under Iowa Code § 598.21B). Exact figure: official Iowa calculator.
Official Schedule — Excerpt
Basic support obligation at selected combined incomes (combined adjusted net monthly income of both parents), from the official Iowa schedule:
| Combined income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,800 | $640 | $974 | $1,177 |
| $4,300 | $975 | $1,471 | $1,765 |
| $6,300 | $1,231 | $1,845 | $2,195 |
| $8,700 | $1,530 | $2,268 | $2,667 |
Worked Example
Two parents have a combined adjusted net monthly income of $6,300 and two children. From the Area C (non-shaded) row of the Iowa Schedule of Basic Support Obligations (Rule 9.26), the basic support obligation for two children at $6,300 combined net income is $1,845/month. If the noncustodial parent's net income is 65% of that combined total, their guideline share is 65% × $1,845 = $1,199/month — before any health-insurance premium adjustment (Rule 9.14(5)), child-care expense add-on (Rule 9.11A), extraordinary-visitation credit (Rule 9.9), or qualified additional-dependent deduction (Rules 9.7-9.8) are applied.
When Courts Deviate From the Guideline
- Application of the guidelines would result in substantial injustice to the payor, payee, or the child(ren) (Iowa Ct. R. 9.11(1))
- An adjustment is necessary to provide for the needs of the child(ren) or to do justice between the parties under the special circumstances of the case (Iowa Ct. R. 9.11(2))
- Circumstances contemplated by Iowa Code § 234.39 apply (Iowa Ct. R. 9.11(3))
- The court finds a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed without just cause and imputes income based on earning capacity (Iowa Ct. R. 9.11(4))
- The noncustodial parent has court-ordered visitation exceeding 127 overnights per year, triggering a 15%-25% extraordinary visitation credit (Iowa Ct. R. 9.9)
- A parent has a qualified additional dependent from another relationship, reducing net monthly income via a deduction of 8%-16% of gross monthly income (Iowa Ct. R. 9.7-9.8)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on the income Iowa's child support guidelines will consider?
Effectively yes. The official Schedule of Basic Support Obligations (Iowa Ct. R. 9.26) only publishes amounts up to $30,000 in combined net monthly income. Above that, Iowa Ct. R. 9.26(3) leaves the exact obligation to the court's discretion, but it may not be set lower than the schedule's $30,000 row: $3,509/month for one child, $5,078 for two, $5,941 for three, $6,636 for four, and $7,300 for five or more children.
What counts as income for Iowa child support purposes?
Gross monthly income is reasonably expected income from all sources, including self-employment income net of reasonable business expenses and spousal support received. It excludes public assistance payments, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and child support payments received by the parent (Iowa Ct. R. 9.5(1)). The guidelines then convert gross income into net monthly income by subtracting standardized federal and state tax liability, Social Security/Medicare or mandatory pension deductions, mandatory occupational license fees, union dues, and certain other-child deductions (Iowa Ct. R. 9.5(2)).
How does joint (equally shared) physical care change the Iowa calculation?
For court-ordered joint equally-shared physical care, Iowa uses a separate offset calculation (Iowa Ct. R. 9.14(3)): each parent's basic support amount from the Schedule is multiplied by 1.5 (to account for maintaining two homes) and then by 0.5 (for the roughly 50% of time with each parent), and the two resulting obligations are offset against each other, with the parent owing more paying the net difference. The shaded low-income adjustment does not apply in joint physical care cases (Iowa Ct. R. 9.3(2)(b), 9.14(3)).
Until what age does Iowa child support run, and does it cover college?
Support generally runs until the child turns 18, and continues to age 19 if the child is still enrolled full-time completing high school graduation or equivalency requirements (Iowa Code § 598.1(9)). Iowa does not automatically extend basic child support to cover college. Instead, a court may separately order a discretionary 'postsecondary education subsidy' for a child between ages 18 and 22 who is, in good faith, a full-time student at a college, university, community college, or an approved career and technical training program (Iowa Code § 598.1(8)).