Louisiana Child Support Calculator (2026)
Louisiana calculates child support under income-shares guidelines (La. R.S. 9:315 et seq. (schedule at R.S. 9:315.19)). Estimate the guideline amount below.
Income basis: combined adjusted monthly gross income of both parties.
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 Louisiana 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
Louisiana 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 (La. R.S. 9:315 et seq. (schedule at R.S. 9:315.19)). The calculator above interpolates the official schedule for a quick estimate — health-insurance, child-care, and parenting-time adjustments come on top.
How Louisiana Calculates Child Support
Louisiana uses the Income Shares Model under La. R.S. 9:315 et seq. Courts combine both parents' adjusted monthly gross income, look up the resulting basic obligation on the statutory Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (La. R.S. 9:315.19), and then split that obligation between the parents in proportion to their income shares on Worksheet A (La. R.S. 9:315.20; Worksheet B applies for shared custody under R.S. 9:315.9). The schedule was most recently rewritten by 2024 House Bill 773 (Act No. 86), effective January 1, 2025, which raised the dollar amounts and now runs from $1,050 to $50,000 combined adjusted monthly gross income.
Statutory basis: La. R.S. 9:315 et seq. (schedule at R.S. 9:315.19). Exact figure: official Louisiana calculator.
Official Schedule — Excerpt
Basic support obligation at selected combined incomes (combined adjusted monthly gross income of both parties), from the official Louisiana schedule:
| Combined income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,350 | $645 | $990 | $1,206 |
| $5,000 | $933 | $1,426 | $1,730 |
| $7,500 | $1,166 | $1,770 | $2,135 |
| $10,000 | $1,362 | $2,053 | $2,458 |
Worked Example
Two parents with 2 children and a combined adjusted monthly gross income of $5,000 (e.g., Parent A earns $3,000/mo = 60%, Parent B earns $2,000/mo = 40%). The Schedule (R.S. 9:315.19) sets the basic obligation for 2 children at that combined income at $1,426/month. On Worksheet A (R.S. 9:315.20), Parent B's 40% income share of that basic obligation is 0.40 × $1,426 = $570.40/month, before add-ons such as health-insurance premiums and net work-related child-care costs are allocated in the same proportion.
When Courts Deviate From the Guideline
- A party's extraordinary community debt incurred for the family's benefit
- Extraordinary medical expenses of a party or the child not otherwise covered by the calculation
- A party's own multiple-family situation (child support already owed for other children)
- A permanent or temporary disability that reduces a party's earning capacity
- Continued support needed for a disabled adult child already covered under the award
- The particular needs and circumstances of a child born to an unemancipated minor parent
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on how much income counts under Louisiana's child support schedule?
Not a hard cap on the award itself. The schedule in La. R.S. 9:315.19 runs to $50,000 combined adjusted monthly gross income and tops out at $3,737/month for one child up to $8,783/month for six children. Above that level, La. R.S. 9:315.13 gives the court discretion to set support based on the child's needs and the parents' resources, but the amount can never be lower than the top-of-schedule figure.
What counts as 'income' for Louisiana child support?
La. R.S. 9:315 defines gross income broadly: wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, in-kind employment benefits that reduce living expenses, and net self-employment income (gross receipts minus ordinary business expenses). It excludes child support received for other children, most public-assistance benefits, non-taxable per diem, extraordinary overtime, certain gifts, and disaster assistance. 'Adjusted gross income' then subtracts preexisting support obligations a party owes to others.
How does shared or joint custody change the amount owed?
When both parents have the child for 'an approximately equal amount of time' (La. R.S. 9:315.9 — the statute sets no fixed day-count or percentage threshold), the basic obligation from the schedule is multiplied by 1.5, split between the parents by income share, and each parent's theoretical share is cross-multiplied by the percentage of time the child spends with the OTHER parent on Worksheet B. The parent who owes more pays the difference, capped at what they would owe as a sole (non-domiciliary) parent under the regular schedule.
Until what age does child support last in Louisiana? Does it cover college?
Under La. R.S. 9:315.22, support ends when the child reaches the age of majority or is emancipated, but continues for an unmarried child still enrolled full-time in secondary school, and can extend to age 22 for a child with a qualifying developmental disability who remains a full-time secondary student (La. R.S. 9:315.14, which also allows indefinite support for a child incapable of self-support due to a disability manifesting during minority). Louisiana's guidelines do not require support to continue for college beyond these secondary-school/disability extensions.