South Dakota Child Support Calculator (2026)
South Dakota calculates child support under income-shares guidelines (SDCL 25-7-6.2). Estimate the guideline amount below.
Income basis: combined monthly net 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 South Dakota 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
South Dakota 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 (SDCL 25-7-6.2). The calculator above interpolates the official schedule for a quick estimate — health-insurance, child-care, and parenting-time adjustments come on top.
How South Dakota Calculates Child Support
South Dakota uses an income shares model: the parents' combined monthly NET income is looked up in the SDCL 25-7-6.2 schedule table to find the 'basic support obligation' for the number of children, and that amount is split between the parents in proportion to each parent's share of the combined net income — the noncustodial parent's share becomes the presumptive order. The official schedule runs in $50 net-income increments from $0 up to $20,000/month combined and was last amended by SL 2022, ch 80, §1. A 2025 South Dakota Commission on Child Support recommended an inflation-based update to the table, but the enabling bill (HB 1040, 2026 session) failed on the Senate floor on March 5, 2026, so the 2022 table remains the current, legally binding schedule.
Statutory basis: SDCL 25-7-6.2. Exact figure: official South Dakota calculator.
Official Schedule — Excerpt
Basic support obligation at selected combined incomes (combined monthly net income of both parents), from the official South Dakota schedule:
| Combined income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,300 | $782 | $1,129 | $1,327 |
| $5,000 | $947 | $1,354 | $1,577 |
| $7,500 | $1,175 | $1,673 | $1,939 |
| $10,000 | $1,319 | $1,868 | $2,154 |
Worked Example
Example: a noncustodial parent with $3,000/month net income and a custodial parent with $2,000/month net income (combined $5,000) share two children. The SDCL 25-7-6.2 schedule sets the combined basic obligation at $1,354/month for two children at that income level. The noncustodial parent's proportionate share is $3,000 ÷ $5,000 = 60%, so the presumptive order is $1,354 × 0.60 = $812.40/month, before any adjustments for health insurance premiums (SDCL 25-7-6.16) or deviation factors (SDCL 25-7-6.10).
When Courts Deviate From the Guideline
- Income of a subsequent spouse or contribution of a third party to a parent's income or expenses, but only if applying the schedule works a financial hardship on either parent
- Any financial condition of either parent that would make applying the schedule inequitable (an obligation exceeding 50% of the obligor's monthly net income is presumed to impose a financial hardship)
- Necessary education or health-care special needs of the child
- Agreements between the parents for extra forms of direct support for the child
- Either parent's obligation to provide for other natural, adopted, or stepchildren
- The voluntary and unreasonable act of a parent that causes that parent to be unemployed or underemployed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on the income South Dakota uses in its child support formula?
No hard statutory dollar cap exists. The SDCL 25-7-6.2 guideline table runs up to $20,000/month combined net income (topping out at $2,101/month for one child and $4,548/month for six). Above $20,000, SDCL 25-7-6.9 has the court set support at 'an appropriate level, taking into account the actual needs and standard of living of the child' instead of mechanically extending the table.
What counts as income under South Dakota's child support guidelines?
SDCL 25-7-6.3 defines monthly gross income broadly: wages, salary, commissions and bonuses; self-employment, business, or farm income; Social Security, veterans', disability, and pension/retirement payments; investment income; unemployment and workers' compensation benefits; and military pay and allowances. From gross income, SDCL 25-7-6.7 allows deducting single-filer income tax, FICA/Medicare, qualified retirement contributions up to 10% of gross income, certain unreimbursed employee business expenses, and other court-ordered support payments — the result is 'net income.'
Does shared or extended parenting time lower the child support amount?
The basic SDCL 25-7-6.2 schedule assumes a standard custodial arrangement, but extended parenting time by the noncustodial parent can trigger a partial abatement of the obligation under SDCL 25-7-6.14, and a shared-parenting cross-credit is addressed under SDCL 25-7-6.27. Courts can also deviate from the guideline amount under the SDCL 25-7-6.10 factors where the parenting-time split makes the schedule amount inequitable.
Until what age does child support continue in South Dakota, and is college included?
Under SDCL 25-5-18.1, the duty to support a child continues until the child turns 18, or 19 if the child is still a full-time student in a secondary school. South Dakota's guidelines do not require support for college; any contribution toward post-secondary education has to come from a separate agreement between the parents.