Pennsylvania child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Pennsylvania guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Pennsylvania's guideline amount is $1,084 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Pennsylvania uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect January 1, 2026.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your Pennsylvania guideline amount
Guideline child support
Choose your state and enter both incomes to see the guideline amount.
Pennsylvania child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $447 | $651 | $876 | $1,072 |
| 2 children | $666 | $948 | $1,301 | $1,561 |
| 3 children | $764 | $1,109 | $1,504 | $1,823 |
| 4 children | $786 | $1,240 | $1,688 | $2,042 |
| 5 children | $794 | $1,364 | $1,857 | $2,246 |
How Pennsylvania calculates child support
Pennsylvania uses the income shares model: the schedule gives the support for the parents' combined monthly net income, and the paying parent pays their percentage share of it.
Net income is gross income minus federal, state and local income taxes, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory retirement, mandatory union dues and alimony paid. This estimate works out taxes from gross income the way the state estimator does by default.
When the paying parent has the children at least 40% of overnights, their share is reduced. With equal time, support is limited so that the two households have equal net income.
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of $1,255 a month. For low incomes in the shaded part of the schedule, support is the lower of the schedule amount at the paying parent's income alone and the usual formula.
Child care, the children's health insurance premium and unreimbursed medical costs above $250 per child a year are shared by income percentage.
Support for other children doesn't reduce income here. If all of the paying parent's support orders exceed half of their net income, a court may reduce them proportionately.
The schedule runs to $30,000 of combined net income a month. Above that, a formula adds a percentage of the excess, and the court reviews the children's reasonable needs.
Income percentages are rounded to whole percent and amounts to whole dollars, as in the official examples.
Parenting time in Pennsylvania
When the paying parent has the children at least 40% of overnights, their share is reduced. With equal time, support is limited so that the two households have equal net income.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $1,084 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $1,084 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $1,084 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $1,084 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $635 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in Pennsylvania
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $177 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $3,028 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of $1,255 a month. For low incomes in the shaded part of the schedule, support is the lower of the schedule amount at the paying parent's income alone and the usual formula.
The schedule runs to $30,000 of combined net income a month. Above that, a formula adds a percentage of the excess, and the court reviews the children's reasonable needs.
Child support by number of children in Pennsylvania
- 1 child$734 a month
- 2 children$1,084 a month
- 3 children$1,251 a month
- 4 children$1,406 a month
- 5 children$1,546 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-1 to 1910.16-7; 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322
- Pennsylvania child support guidelines
- Support guidelines worksheet, Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-4(a)(1)
- Official Pennsylvania child support calculator
- Pennsylvania Child Support Program (Department of Human Services)
Guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Verified against the official Pennsylvania sources on October 6, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania uses the income shares model: the schedule gives the support for the parents' combined monthly net income, and the paying parent pays their percentage share of it. Net income is gross income minus federal, state and local income taxes, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory retirement, mandatory union dues and alimony paid. This estimate works out taxes from gross income the way the state estimator does by default.
What is the child support for one child in Pennsylvania on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Pennsylvania's guideline amount for one child is about $651 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Pennsylvania?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $635 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). When the paying parent has the children at least 40% of overnights, their share is reduced. With equal time, support is limited so that the two households have equal net income.
What is the minimum child support in Pennsylvania?
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of $1,255 a month. For low incomes in the shaded part of the schedule, support is the lower of the schedule amount at the paying parent's income alone and the usual formula.
When does child support end in Pennsylvania?
Support usually ends when the child reaches 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, and may continue for an adult child with special needs.