New York child support guidelines
New York calculates child support under the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) — an income-shares approach that applies set percentages to combined parental income. This page explains the rules and links the official state resources; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the CSSA works
- Combine both parents’ income up to the statutory cap — $193,000 as of March 1, 2026 (raised from $183,000, and adjusted every two years).
- Apply the percentage for the number of children: 17% (1), 25% (2), 29% (3), 31% (4), and at least 35% (5 or more).
- Prorate that basic obligation between the parents by each one’s share of the combined income — so the higher earner pays the larger share.
- Add each parent’s proportional share of childcare, health insurance, unreimbursed medical, and educational costs.
Combined income above the $193,000 cap is where cases diverge: the court decides whether to keep applying the percentages or to weigh the statutory factors (the child’s needs, the parents’ standard of living, and more), which is why two families with the same headline income can end up far apart.
The self-support reserve and low-income floor
New York won’t order a parent below a basic-needs floor. The self-support reserve is $21,128 (as of March 1, 2026); a parent whose income is near that level pays a reduced or minimum amount rather than the full percentage. This is one of the biggest reasons a guessed figure misleads — the reserve and the cap both bend the straight-percentage math.
How long support lasts, and changing it
New York runs support until the child turns 21 — notably longer than the 18-or-19 rule in most states — ending sooner only on emancipation (marriage, active military service, or self-support). An existing order can be modified on a substantial change in circumstances, after three years, or when either parent’s income shifts by 15% or more.
Use the official resources
The New York State Division of Child Support Services publishes the official Child Support Standards Chart and estimator (linked above) — it applies the current cap, reserve, and percentages. Use it for an estimate; this page explains the rules but doesn’t produce a number.
For a real case
The guideline is a starting point a court can vary under the statute, and add-ons and high-income treatment swing the result. For advice on your circumstances, consult a New York family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in New York is set by New York’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 York calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in New York 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 York?
- New York uses the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA), an income-shares approach. It combines both parents' income (up to a statutory cap), applies a percentage based on the number of children — 17% for one, 25% for two, 29% for three, 31% for four, and at least 35% for five or more — then prorates the result between the parents by income share.
- What is the CSSA combined income cap?
- As of March 1, 2026 the combined parental income cap is $193,000 (up from $183,000). The straight percentages apply to combined income up to the cap; for income above it, a court decides whether to apply the percentages or use the statutory factors, so high-income cases vary. The cap is adjusted every two years.
- Until what age is child support paid in New York?
- New York is unusual in running support until the child turns 21 — later than most states, which stop at 18 or 19. It can end earlier if the child is emancipated through marriage, full-time military service, or becoming self-supporting.
- When can a New York order be modified?
- Either parent can seek a modification by showing a substantial change in circumstances, that three years have passed since the order was entered, or that either parent’s income has changed by 15% or more. The self-support reserve ($21,128 as of March 2026) protects a low-earning parent from being ordered below a basic-needs floor.
- Are add-ons included in New York?
- Yes. On top of the basic obligation, New York adds shares of childcare, health-insurance, unreimbursed medical, and educational expenses, divided between the parents in proportion to income. The official resources walk through these.