NY Maintenance & Child Support Calculator
Estimate guideline support amounts under New York’s statutory formulas — DRL §236B and the Child Support Standards Act.
Estimates only — not legal advice. Results do not account for all case-specific factors.Methodology & Statutory Sources
Maintenance: Calculated under DRL § 236-B(5-a) (post-divorce) and § 236-B(6) (temporary). Formula A uses 30% of payor − 20% of payee (standard) or 20% of payor − 25% of payee when the payor is also the child-support payor. Formula B uses 40% of combined income − payee income. The guideline amount is the lower of the two (not less than zero). The statutory payor-income cap is $241,000 effective March 1, 2026 under the biennial adjustment published by the NY Office of Court Administration.
Child Support (CSSA): Calculated under FCA § 413 and DRL § 240. Combined parental income is multiplied by 17% / 25% / 29% / 31% / 35% for 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5+ children, then prorated between parents. The combined-income cap is $193,000 effective March 1, 2026. Per FCA § 413(1)(b)(5)(vii), maintenance is deducted from the payor's income and added to the payee's income before calculating child support.
FICA: Social Security tax of 6.2% on wages up to the annual SSA wage base ($183,600 for 2026, as announced by the Social Security Administration in October 2025), Medicare tax of 1.45% on all wages, plus the Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 under IRC § 3101(b)(2). Because this calculator uses the current-year SSA wage base, FICA totals for high earners may differ by a few hundred dollars from calculators still using the prior year's base. NYC / Yonkers income tax, self-employment tax treatment, pensions, maintenance paid to non-parties, public assistance, and SSI deductions are not currently applied — see your attorney for a full CSSA income calculation.
Add-Ons Not Calculated: Basic child support is shown here. Courts additionally prorate (i) childcare necessary for work, (ii) health insurance premiums, and (iii) unreimbursed health expenses between the parties in proportion to income (FCA § 413(1)(c)). Educational expenses and other discretionary add-ons may also apply.
Disclaimer: This calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Results are guideline estimates. A court retains discretion under DRL § 236-B(5-a)(h)(1), (6)(e)(1) and FCA § 413(1)(f) / DRL § 240(1-b)(f) to deviate based on the enumerated factors. Consult a matrimonial attorney before relying on these figures for any legal or financial decision. Caps effective March 1, 2026 are subject to biennial adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Child Support Calculator
How accurate is this New York child support calculator?
It applies the exact CSSA formula from Domestic Relations Law § 240(1-b) and Family Court Act § 413: 17% of combined parental income for one child, 25% for two, 29% for three, 31% for four, and at least 35% for five or more, up to the $193,000 combined-income cap in effect since March 1, 2026. It is an educational estimate — courts can deviate based on statutory factors and can apply the percentages to income above the cap.
What counts as income for child support in New York?
Gross income from essentially all sources: wages, self-employment, bonuses, overtime, investment and rental income, and certain benefits. Courts can also impute income to a parent who is voluntarily underemployed or whose reported income doesn’t match their lifestyle. Deductions before the percentage applies include FICA and NYC taxes, among others.
Will the judge order exactly the number this calculator shows?
Not necessarily. The formula sets the presumptive basic obligation, but judges may deviate where the result is unjust or inappropriate, and mandatory add-ons — health insurance, unreimbursed medical costs, and work-related child care — are allocated on top of the basic support number.