Hawaii child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Hawaii guidelines effective April 1, 2024. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Hawaii's guideline amount is $1,311 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Hawaii uses the Melson formula model; its current guidelines took effect April 1, 2024.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your Hawaii guideline amount
Guideline child support
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Hawaii child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $139 | $566 | $853 | $1,092 |
| 2 children | $182 | $1,075 | $1,635 | $2,108 |
| 3 children | $273 | $1,322 | $2,347 | $3,049 |
| 4 children | $364 | $1,322 | $2,593 | $3,314 |
| 5 children | $455 | $1,322 | $2,616 | $3,578 |
How Hawaii calculates child support
Hawaii uses a Melson-type formula. The children's primary need ($455 a child plus child care and health insurance) comes first; a standard of living adjustment then shares part of the parents' remaining income with the children. Each parent's part follows their share of the parents' combined net income.
Gross income from almost all sources counts. Net income comes from the Table of Incomes: gross income minus income taxes and Social Security and Medicare at the rates the guidelines fix, minus a $1,693 self-support reserve, so it is not take-home pay. Spousal support paid is subtracted from gross income and support received is added.
When the parent with fewer overnights has more than 143 a year, the extensive time-sharing worksheet lowers that parent's amount for each extra overnight. With equal time each parent's amount is counted for half the year and the parent who owes more pays half the difference.
Each parent keeps a $1,693 self-support reserve before net income is counted. Each parent's share is at least $91 a child a month and generally no more than their net income.
Child care for work or training and the children's health insurance are part of the primary need, so they are shared by net income; the parent who pays them gets credit.
Other children are not deducted from income. Supporting other children can be an exceptional circumstance that lets a court, the agency or a hearings officer set a different amount.
There is no income cap. The standard of living adjustment is 10% a child, up to 30%, of the parents' income above a $1,303 set-aside each, after the primary need; support above what the children reasonably need can be an exceptional circumstance.
Net income, each parent's obligation and the final amount are rounded to the nearest dollar, and the income shares to the nearest whole percent.
Parenting time in Hawaii
When the parent with fewer overnights has more than 143 a year, the extensive time-sharing worksheet lowers that parent's amount for each extra overnight. With equal time each parent's amount is counted for half the year and the parent who owes more pays half the difference.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $1,311 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $1,311 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $1,311 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $1,311 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $375 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in Hawaii
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $182 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $4,687 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
Each parent keeps a $1,693 self-support reserve before net income is counted. Each parent's share is at least $91 a child a month and generally no more than their net income.
There is no income cap. The standard of living adjustment is 10% a child, up to 30%, of the parents' income above a $1,303 set-aside each, after the primary need; support above what the children reasonably need can be an exceptional circumstance.
Child support by number of children in Hawaii
- 1 child$688 a month
- 2 children$1,311 a month
- 3 children$1,839 a month
- 4 children$1,839 a month
- 5 children$1,839 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: HRS §§ 571-52.5, 576D-7, 576E-15, 580-47; 2024 Hawai‘i Child Support Guidelines
- Hawaii child support guidelines
- Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Appendix A-1) and Extensive Time-Sharing Worksheet (Appendix A-2)
- Official Hawaii child support calculator
- Hawai‘i Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA)
- Changing a Hawaii child support order
Guidelines effective April 1, 2024. Verified against the official Hawaii sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Hawaii?
Hawaii uses a Melson-type formula. The children's primary need ($455 a child plus child care and health insurance) comes first; a standard of living adjustment then shares part of the parents' remaining income with the children. Each parent's part follows their share of the parents' combined net income. Gross income from almost all sources counts. Net income comes from the Table of Incomes: gross income minus income taxes and Social Security and Medicare at the rates the guidelines fix, minus a $1,693 self-support reserve, so it is not take-home pay. Spousal support paid is subtracted from gross income and support received is added.
What is the child support for one child in Hawaii on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Hawaii's guideline amount for one child is about $566 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Hawaii?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $375 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). When the parent with fewer overnights has more than 143 a year, the extensive time-sharing worksheet lowers that parent's amount for each extra overnight. With equal time each parent's amount is counted for half the year and the parent who owes more pays half the difference.
What is the minimum child support in Hawaii?
Each parent keeps a $1,693 self-support reserve before net income is counted. Each parent's share is at least $91 a child a month and generally no more than their net income.
When does child support end in Hawaii?
Hawaii orders usually end support at 18, the age of majority, unless the child is still in high school, or is under 23 and enrolled (or accepted) as a full-time student at a college, university or vocational school. Before or after a child turns 18, the Family Court may order support, maintenance and education for an adult child in school and for an incompetent or disabled adult child; CSEA and the Office of Child Support Hearings can only modify or enforce, not establish, such orders after 18.