An educational estimate based on the New York Child Support Standards Act
New York uses the Child Support Standards Act. The same formula appears in Family Court Act section 413 and Domestic Relations Law section 240(1-b). The court adds both parents' CSSA income, applies a fixed percentage based on the number of children, and splits that basic obligation in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income. The parent who does not have the children most of the time generally pays that parent's share to the other parent.
The statutory child support percentages, from Family Court Act section 413(1)(b)(3), are:
Those percentages apply to combined parental income up to the combined parental income amount published under Social Services Law section 111-i. The New York State Unified Court System reported that this amount increased from $183,000 to $193,000 on March 1, 2026. The New York City Human Resources Administration child support calculator page and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Child Support Standards Chart (LDSS 4515, Rev. 03/26) state the same $193,000 figure. Where combined income is higher than $193,000, the law permits, but does not require, use of the percentages on the income above that amount. This estimate applies the percentages only up to $193,000 and does not invent an above-cap add-on.
The numbers below show how the pieces fit together. They are an educational example, not a prediction for your case.
Family Court Act section 413(1)(b)(6) defines the self-support reserve as 135 percent of the federal poverty income guideline for a single person. The court system's March 1, 2026 update, the HRA calculator page, and the 2026 Child Support Standards Chart all list the 2026 poverty guideline amount as $15,960 and the self-support reserve as $21,546. Those two figures are consistent with the statute because $15,960 times 1.35 equals $21,546.
If the calculated basic obligation would reduce the paying parent's income below the poverty guideline, Family Court Act section 413(1)(d) sets the basic obligation at $25 a month, unless the court finds that amount unjust or inappropriate. If the calculated obligation would reduce the paying parent's income below the self-support reserve but not below the poverty guideline, the basic obligation is $50 a month or the difference between that parent's income and the self-support reserve, whichever is greater. Add-on expenses remain a separate question for the court.
When the custodial parent works or attends qualifying school or training, reasonable childcare costs are split in the same proportion as each parent's income. Health insurance premiums and unreimbursed health care expenses are also generally split that way. This page adds the paying parent's income share of the monthly childcare and child health insurance amounts you enter.
New York does not use a statutory overnight table the way some other states do. Shared or equal parenting time does not automatically reduce the CSSA percentage. Courts still apply the three-step CSSA method. In a roughly equal arrangement, the higher-earning parent is often treated as the payor. See Bast v. Rossoff, 91 N.Y.2d 723 (1998), and Baraby v. Baraby, 250 A.D.2d 201 (3d Dept. 1998).
Court-ordered support already paid for other children is one of the deductions used to arrive at CSSA income. Enter income after that deduction rather than asking this page to invent a second-family table. Educational expenses may be added by the court and are not estimated here.
The court combines both parents' CSSA income, multiplies the combined amount up to the current cap by the statutory percentage for the number of children, and assigns each parent a share equal to that parent's portion of combined income. The parent who pays support generally pays that share, plus a matching share of certain add-on costs.
Family Court Act section 413 starts with gross income and then subtracts items such as FICA actually paid, New York City or Yonkers income or earnings taxes actually paid, and certain other deductions. This page does not guess those deductions. Enter monthly CSSA income if you have it. If you enter gross pay, the result will usually be higher than a court worksheet.
The percentages apply to combined parental income up to $193,000 as of March 1, 2026. Income above that amount is not automatically run through the same percentage. The court may apply the percentage, consider the statutory deviation factors, or use both.
A calculated order that would leave the paying parent below the 2026 poverty guideline of $15,960 a year produces a $25 monthly basic obligation under the statute, subject to the court's power to find that amount unjust or inappropriate. A calculated order that would leave the paying parent below the $21,546 self-support reserve, but not below the poverty guideline, produces $50 a month or the difference between that parent's income and the reserve, whichever is greater.
No statute reduces the CSSA percentage solely because the children spend a large number of overnights with each parent. Shared time can still matter if the court finds the guideline amount unjust or inappropriate under the factors in Family Court Act section 413(1)(f). This estimate does not invent that kind of reduction.
Start with Family Court Act section 413, Domestic Relations Law section 240(1-b), Social Services Law section 111-i, the OTDA Child Support Standards Chart, and the court system's maintenance and child support tools. The New York City HRA page also publishes the current cap, poverty guideline, and self-support reserve and links to the statewide Family Court calculator.
Estimate only. This page is an educational tool, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for the official Child Support Standards Chart, a court worksheet, or advice from a qualified attorney. Nothing you enter is stored or sent to us from this page itself. Verify every figure against the current statute and the current OTDA chart before you rely on it.