Arkansas child support guidelines
Arkansas uses an income-shares guideline under Administrative Order No. 10 — support is based on both parents’ gross income. This page explains the rules and links the official Judiciary calculator; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Arkansas formula works
The guideline (in effect since July 1, 2020, when Arkansas switched from a flat percentage of the payer’s income to income shares) works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross monthly incomes — before taxes or deductions;
- Apply the Family Support Chart to find the basic obligation for the number of children;
- Allocate it proportionally by each parent’s income share;
- Add health insurance and childcare, and account for parenting time.
The Arkansas Judiciary provides an official calculator that generates a court-ready Child Support Worksheet.
Shared custody, duration, and modification
Arkansas treats a case as joint or shared custody once both parents have the children at least 141 overnights each per year — at that point the worksheet reflects both households. Support continues until the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever is later. A change of 20% or $100 a month in the calculated amount is a material change that permits a modification, and income can be imputed to a parent who is unemployed, underemployed, or intentionally earning less than they reasonably could.
Use the official calculator
The Arkansas Judiciary (Administrative Office of the Courts) publishes the official Child Support Calculator (linked above). Use it for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court that issues your order has final authority.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted when it would be unjust or inappropriate. For advice on your situation, consult an Arkansas family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Arkansas is set by Arkansas’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Arkansas calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Arkansas for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Arkansas?
- Arkansas uses an income-shares model under Administrative Order No. 10 (effective July 1, 2020). It combines both parents' gross monthly incomes, applies the Family Support Chart to find the basic obligation for the number of children, and allocates it by each parent's share of the combined income.
- What goes into the Arkansas formula?
- Both parents' gross monthly incomes (before taxes, retirement, or insurance deductions), the number of children, health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and parenting time. The official calculator generates the Child Support Worksheet as a PDF suitable for court filing.
- When does shared custody change support in Arkansas?
- Arkansas treats a case as joint or shared custody when both parents have the children for at least 141 overnights each per year. At that point the worksheet accounts for both households; below it, the standard calculation applies. The court also weighs any income disparity between the parents, giving more attention to disparities under 20%.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. A change of 20% or $100 a month in the calculated amount is a material change that allows a modification, and income can be imputed to a parent who is unemployed, underemployed, or intentionally earning less than they could.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Arkansas Judiciary Child Support Calculator linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.