Delaware child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Delaware guidelines effective February 1, 2026. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Delaware's guideline amount is $1,246 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Delaware uses the Melson formula model; its current guidelines took effect February 1, 2026.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your Delaware guideline amount
Guideline child support
Choose your state and enter both incomes to see the guideline amount.
Delaware child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $347 | $730 | $1,072 | $1,371 |
| 2 children | $450 | $1,044 | $1,530 | $1,955 |
| 3 children | $450 | $1,284 | $1,922 | $2,450 |
| 4 children | $450 | $1,284 | $2,228 | $2,818 |
| 5 children | $450 | $1,284 | $2,325 | $3,171 |
How Delaware calculates child support
Delaware uses the Melson formula. Each parent first keeps a $1,600 self-support allowance. The children's primary needs ($380 for each home plus $420 a child, plus child care and insurance) are shared by each parent's share of the income left after the allowance. A standard of living adjustment then adds a percentage of each parent's remaining income, and each home keeps the amounts for the children who live there.
Gross income counts, and taxes are not subtracted. Alimony paid is subtracted; alimony received counts with a 25% increase because it isn't taxed. Pension contributions, union dues and similar deductions the worksheet allows are not included in this estimate.
A paying parent who has the children 80 to 124 overnights a year keeps 10% of what the other home retains for the children; 125 to 163 overnights, 30%. With at least 164 overnights in each home, each child counts as half in each home, and no support is ordered when the net amount is under $50 a month.
A parent's amount can't be more than 50% of their income after the self-support allowance. When the children live mainly with one parent, the order is at least $160 a month for one child and $240 for two or more.
Work-related child care and 75% of the premium for health insurance covering the children (50% if that parent supports other children) are part of the primary need, shared by income; the parent who pays them keeps credit for them. Uninsured medical costs are split separately as they come up.
A parent who supports other children, at home or under another support order, has their income after the self-support allowance counted at 70%. The amount of another order is not subtracted.
There is no income cap. The standard of living adjustment is 12% of each parent's remaining income for one child, 17% for two, 21% for three and 2% more for each additional child. When remaining income is above $16,000, 30% of the parents' combined excess is taken off first.
The worksheet is monthly and rounds every amount to the nearest dollar; income shares are rounded to the nearest whole percent. Weekly and every-two-weeks pay are converted to monthly with the worksheet's factors.
Parenting time in Delaware
A paying parent who has the children 80 to 124 overnights a year keeps 10% of what the other home retains for the children; 125 to 163 overnights, 30%. With at least 164 overnights in each home, each child counts as half in each home, and no support is ordered when the net amount is under $50 a month.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $1,246 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $1,246 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $1,057 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $680 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $354 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in Delaware
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $240 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $4,093 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
A parent's amount can't be more than 50% of their income after the self-support allowance. When the children live mainly with one parent, the order is at least $160 a month for one child and $240 for two or more.
There is no income cap. The standard of living adjustment is 12% of each parent's remaining income for one child, 17% for two, 21% for three and 2% more for each additional child. When remaining income is above $16,000, 30% of the parents' combined excess is taken off first.
Child support by number of children in Delaware
- 1 child$873 a month
- 2 children$1,246 a month
- 3 children$1,569 a month
- 4 children$1,700 a month
- 5 children$1,700 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: 13 Del. C. §§ 501, 514, 517; Del. Fam. Ct. Civ. R. 500–510 (Delaware Child Support Formula)
- Delaware child support guidelines
- Form 509, 2026 Delaware Child Support Formula
- Official Delaware child support calculator
- Delaware Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)
- Changing a Delaware child support order
Guidelines effective February 1, 2026. Verified against the official Delaware sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Delaware?
Delaware uses the Melson formula. Each parent first keeps a $1,600 self-support allowance. The children's primary needs ($380 for each home plus $420 a child, plus child care and insurance) are shared by each parent's share of the income left after the allowance. A standard of living adjustment then adds a percentage of each parent's remaining income, and each home keeps the amounts for the children who live there. Gross income counts, and taxes are not subtracted. Alimony paid is subtracted; alimony received counts with a 25% increase because it isn't taxed. Pension contributions, union dues and similar deductions the worksheet allows are not included in this estimate.
What is the child support for one child in Delaware on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Delaware's guideline amount for one child is about $730 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Delaware?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $354 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). A paying parent who has the children 80 to 124 overnights a year keeps 10% of what the other home retains for the children; 125 to 163 overnights, 30%. With at least 164 overnights in each home, each child counts as half in each home, and no support is ordered when the net amount is under $50 a month.
What is the minimum child support in Delaware?
A parent's amount can't be more than 50% of their income after the self-support allowance. When the children live mainly with one parent, the order is at least $160 a month for one child and $240 for two or more.
When does child support end in Delaware?
Delaware support orders end by law when all the children have turned 18, or, for a child still in high school, at graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. They also end if custody of all the children moves to the paying parent. Delaware has no college-support rule; parents have a separate duty to support an adult child who is a poor person unable to support themselves.