Kentucky child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Kentucky guidelines effective July 15, 2024. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Kentucky's guideline amount is $862 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Kentucky uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect July 15, 2024.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your Kentucky guideline amount
Guideline child support
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Kentucky child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $352 | $535 | $704 | $873 |
| 2 children | $511 | $763 | $988 | $1,217 |
| 3 children | $614 | $914 | $1,183 | $1,449 |
| 4 children | $686 | $1,021 | $1,321 | $1,618 |
| 5 children | $754 | $1,123 | $1,453 | $1,780 |
How Kentucky calculates child support
Kentucky uses the income shares model: the guidelines table gives the support for both parents at their combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share.
Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes, including alimony received and SSI. Means-tested public assistance does not count. Alimony paid and support paid for older children of another relationship are deducted first.
Kentucky counts parenting time in days. When the parent with less time has the children at least 88 days a year, a shared parenting credit of 15% to 50% of the table amount is subtracted from that parent's share. With equal time, the parent with the higher gross income is treated as the paying parent.
If the paying parent's own income is at or below $1,100 a month (one child) to $1,600 (six or more children), support is also figured from the table on that parent's income alone (self-support reserve of $915 a month), and the lesser amount applies. The minimum order is $60 a month, except when the shared parenting credit applies.
Work-related child care and the children's health insurance premium are added to the table amount and divided by income share; each parent gets credit for what they pay the provider. Uninsured medical costs above $250 a year for all the children are also divided by income share, on top of the worksheet amount; the parent who carries the children's health insurance covers the first $250.
Court-ordered support a parent pays for older children of another relationship is deducted from that parent's income. For older children living with a parent, the table amount for those children on that parent's income is deducted.
The table runs to $30,000 of combined monthly income. Above that, the court decides; this estimate shows the amount at the top of the table.
Income shares are rounded to a tenth of a percent and worksheet amounts to the cent.
Parenting time in Kentucky
Kentucky counts parenting time in days. When the parent with less time has the children at least 88 days a year, a shared parenting credit of 15% to 50% of the table amount is subtracted from that parent's share. With equal time, the parent with the higher gross income is treated as the paying parent.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $862 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $862 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $647 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $568 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $144 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in Kentucky
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $367 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $2,137 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
If the paying parent's own income is at or below $1,100 a month (one child) to $1,600 (six or more children), support is also figured from the table on that parent's income alone (self-support reserve of $915 a month), and the lesser amount applies. The minimum order is $60 a month, except when the shared parenting credit applies.
The table runs to $30,000 of combined monthly income. Above that, the court decides; this estimate shows the amount at the top of the table.
Child support by number of children in Kentucky
- 1 child$605 a month
- 2 children$862 a month
- 3 children$1,031 a month
- 4 children$1,151 a month
- 5 children$1,266 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: KRS 403.211, 403.212, 403.2122 and 403.213; 921 KAR 1:400
- Kentucky child support guidelines
- CS-71 Worksheet for Monthly Child Support Obligation (and CS-71.1 Exception)
- Official Kentucky child support calculator
- Office of the Attorney General, Department of Child Support Services
- Changing a Kentucky child support order
Guidelines effective July 15, 2024. Verified against the official Kentucky sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Kentucky?
Kentucky uses the income shares model: the guidelines table gives the support for both parents at their combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share. Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes, including alimony received and SSI. Means-tested public assistance does not count. Alimony paid and support paid for older children of another relationship are deducted first.
What is the child support for one child in Kentucky on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Kentucky's guideline amount for one child is about $535 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Kentucky?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $144 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Kentucky counts parenting time in days. When the parent with less time has the children at least 88 days a year, a shared parenting credit of 15% to 50% of the table amount is subtracted from that parent's share. With equal time, the parent with the higher gross income is treated as the paying parent.
What is the minimum child support in Kentucky?
If the paying parent's own income is at or below $1,100 a month (one child) to $1,600 (six or more children), support is also figured from the table on that parent's income alone (self-support reserve of $915 a month), and the lesser amount applies. The minimum order is $60 a month, except when the shared parenting credit applies.
When does child support end in Kentucky?
Unless the parents agreed otherwise in writing or the decree says otherwise, support ends when the child turns 18. If the child is a high school student at 18, support continues while the child is in high school, but not past the end of the school year in which the child turns 19. Parents remain responsible for an adult child who is wholly dependent because of a permanent physical or mental disability. We didn't locate an official source on support for college. Unpaid support that is already owed isn't erased when support ends.