New Mexico child support guidelines
New Mexico uses an income-shares guideline under NMSA § 40-4-11.1 — support is based on both parents’ incomes. This page explains the rules and links the official state worksheets; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the New Mexico formula works
The guideline works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross monthly incomes;
- Find the total obligation on the Basic Child Support Schedule for that income and the number of children;
- Choose the worksheet — A (basic visitation) or B (shared responsibility);
- Divide it proportionally and add health insurance and childcare.
The current guidelines took effect January 1, 2024 (SB 223), with a $1,200/month self-support reserve.
The 35% shared-responsibility line
New Mexico’s biggest swing factor is which worksheet applies, and the threshold is 35% of overnights (about 128 nights a year). Below it, Worksheet A (basic visitation) is used. At 35% or more for each parent, Worksheet B (shared responsibility) applies — it multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5 to reflect two full households, then gives each parent credit for the number of 24-hour days of responsibility divided by 365. Crossing that 35% line can change the result substantially. Support runs until 18 or high-school graduation, an order can be modified on a material change, and income can be imputed to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent.
Use the official worksheets
The New Mexico Courts publish the official Worksheets A and B and the Basic Child Support Schedule (linked above). Use them 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 unjust or inappropriate. For advice on your situation, consult a New Mexico family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in New Mexico is set by New Mexico’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 New Mexico calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in New Mexico 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 New Mexico?
- New Mexico uses an income-shares model under NMSA § 40-4-11.1. It combines both parents' gross monthly incomes, finds the total obligation on the Basic Child Support Schedule for the number of children, and divides it proportionally by each parent's share — using Worksheet A for basic visitation or Worksheet B for shared responsibility.
- What decides Worksheet A vs. Worksheet B?
- The line is 35% of overnights (about 128 nights a year). Worksheet A applies when the other parent has fewer than 35% of overnights (basic visitation). Worksheet B (shared responsibility) applies when each parent has the children at least 35% of the year — it multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5, then gives each parent credit for their 24-hour days divided by 365.
- When did the current guidelines take effect?
- New Mexico updated its guidelines effective January 1, 2024 (SB 223), introducing a $1,200-per-month self-support reserve and modernized economic data. There is no official online calculator — the worksheets are used for the calculation.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support generally continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school. An order can be modified on a material change in circumstances — commonly a significant income change or a change in the parenting-time split — and income can be imputed to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the New Mexico child support worksheets (A and B) linked on this page, published by the New Mexico Courts. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.