Louisiana child support guidelines
Louisiana uses an income-shares guideline under La. R.S. 9:315 — support is based on both parents’ combined income. This page explains the rules and links the official DCFS estimator; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Louisiana formula works
The guideline works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ adjusted gross incomes;
- Find the basic obligation on the state schedule for that income and the number of children — the schedule runs up to $40,000/month combined;
- Choose the worksheet — A (sole or one-domiciliary custody) or B (shared custody);
- Allocate proportionally and add health insurance and childcare.
Above $40,000/month a court has discretion but cannot award less than the highest schedule amount, so the top of the table is a floor for high earners.
Shared custody, duration, and modification
Louisiana’s shared-custody rule (La. R.S. 9:315.9) applies only when each parent has the child for an approximately equal amount of time — not for ordinary visitation. It multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5, divides it by income, then cross-multiplies by the percentage of time with the other parent. Support ends at 18, or 19 if the child is still in secondary school. A modification needs a material change in circumstances; in state IV-D cases, a 25% difference between the current and recalculated amount is a rebuttable presumption of one. Income can be imputed to a voluntarily underemployed parent.
Use the official calculator
The Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services publishes the official Child Support Estimator and Worksheet A calculator (linked above). Use it for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court has final authority over the amount.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted when it would be inequitable. For advice on your situation, consult a Louisiana family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Louisiana is set by Louisiana’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 Louisiana calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
- Louisiana uses an income-shares model under La. R.S. 9:315 and following. It combines both parents' adjusted gross incomes, finds the basic obligation on the state schedule for the number of children, and each parent pays a proportional share. Worksheet A applies to sole or one-domiciliary custody; Worksheet B applies to shared custody with roughly equal time.
- What income does the Louisiana schedule cover?
- The schedule runs up to $40,000 of combined monthly adjusted gross income. Above that, a court sets the amount case by case but cannot award less than the highest amount on the schedule, so the top of the table acts as a floor for high earners.
- How does shared custody work in Louisiana?
- Under La. R.S. 9:315.9, shared custody (each parent has the child roughly half the time) first multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5 to reflect duplicated households, then divides it by income and cross-multiplies by the percentage of time with the other parent. It applies only when time is approximately equal — not for ordinary visitation.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support ends at 18, or at 19 if the child is still in secondary school (until graduation or the 19th birthday, whichever comes first). Modification requires a material change in circumstances; in state (IV-D) cases, a 25% difference between the current and recalculated amount creates a rebuttable presumption of a material change. Income can be imputed to a voluntarily underemployed parent.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Louisiana DCFS Child Support Estimator and Worksheet A calculator linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.