Oregon child support guidelines
Oregon uses an income-shares guideline under ORS 25.275 — support is based on both parents’ incomes and parenting time. This page explains the rules and links the official DOJ calculator; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Oregon formula works
The Oregon Child Support Guidelines work in steps:
- Combine both parents’ adjusted gross incomes;
- Look up the total obligation on the standardized schedule for the number of children;
- Split it proportionally by each parent’s share of the combined income;
- Adjust for parenting time, health coverage, and childcare.
The Oregon DOJ provides a free official calculator that produces a court-ready worksheet.
Parenting time, the reserve, and duration
Oregon’s parenting-time credit (OAR 137-050-0730) starts once the paying parent exercises more than 24% of the overnights (about 88 nights a year) and reduces the obligation proportionally as time rises — no all-or-nothing cliff. A self-support reserve of about $1,465/month (updated July 2024) protects a low earner, the schedule caps combined income at $30,000/month, and income can be imputed to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent. On duration, Oregon is unusual: support can run to age 21 for a “child attending school” under ORS 107.108, not just to 18.
Use the official calculator
The Oregon Department of Justice, Child Support Program publishes the official Guidelines Calculator (linked above). Use it for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The administrator or court has final authority over the amount.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be rebutted when it would be unjust. For advice on your situation, consult an Oregon family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Oregon is set by Oregon’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 Oregon calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Oregon 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 Oregon?
- Oregon uses an income-shares model under ORS 25.275. It combines both parents' adjusted gross incomes, looks up the total obligation on a standardized schedule for the number of children, and splits it proportionally by each parent's percentage of the combined income — reflecting the share of income the children would have received in an intact home.
- When does parenting time reduce support in Oregon?
- Oregon applies a parenting-time credit once the paying parent exercises more than 24% of the annual overnights (about 88 nights a year), under OAR 137-050-0730. The credit reduces the obligation proportionally as overnights rise, rather than switching on at a single cliff.
- Is there a low-income floor in Oregon?
- Yes. The guidelines cap combined income at $30,000 a month and enforce a self-support reserve — about $1,465 a month (updated July 2024) — so a low-earning parent keeps enough for basic living costs. Income can be imputed to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
- Until what age is support paid in Oregon?
- Support generally ends at 18, but Oregon extends it to age 21 for a "child attending school" who meets the requirements of ORS 107.108 (roughly half-time enrollment with satisfactory progress) — later than most states. It can end earlier on emancipation.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Oregon Child Support Guidelines Calculator linked on this page, published by the Department of Justice. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.