South Carolina child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
South Carolina guidelines effective January 1, 2024. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, South Carolina's guideline amount is $940 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
South Carolina uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect January 1, 2024.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your South Carolina guideline amount
Guideline child support
Choose your state and enter both incomes to see the guideline amount.
South Carolina child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $374 | $556 | $736 | $925 |
| 2 children | $560 | $827 | $1,091 | $1,359 |
| 3 children | $667 | $977 | $1,283 | $1,584 |
| 4 children | $745 | $1,091 | $1,433 | $1,769 |
| 5 children | $819 | $1,201 | $1,577 | $1,946 |
How South Carolina calculates child support
South Carolina uses the income shares model: the schedule gives the basic child support obligation for the parents' combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share.
Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes; the schedule already allows for taxes. Means-tested benefits such as SSI and TANF don't count. Alimony between the parents is added to the income of the parent who receives it and deducted from the parent who pays it.
When the parent with less time has at least 110 overnights a year, the shared parenting worksheet may be used: the basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, split by income and reduced by each parent's share of overnights, and the two amounts are offset. Close to the threshold the change is phased in overnight by overnight. A judge decides whether to use it.
The schedule builds in a self-support reserve of $1,010.50 a month. When the paying parent's income is in the schedule's shaded area, support is the schedule amount on that parent's income only, with no add-ons. Below $750 of combined income the court decides case by case, ordinarily at least $100 a month.
The children's health insurance premium, regular extraordinary medical costs and work-related child care are added to the basic obligation and shared by income. Child care is reduced by an estimate of the tax credit when the income of the parent the children live with is above a threshold, whichever parent pays it.
Court-ordered support a parent pays for another family is deducted from their income. A parent with other children living at home gets a credit of 75% of the schedule amount for those children on their own income.
The schedule runs to $40,000 of combined income a month. Above that the court sets support case by case; this estimate shows the amount at the top of the schedule.
The schedule is in whole dollars. Each parent's share of income is a percentage to one decimal place, and the worksheet amounts are carried unrounded until the guideline amount is rounded to the cent, as in the DSS calculator.
Parenting time in South Carolina
When the parent with less time has at least 110 overnights a year, the shared parenting worksheet may be used: the basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, split by income and reduced by each parent's share of overnights, and the two amounts are offset. Close to the threshold the change is phased in overnight by overnight. A judge decides whether to use it.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $940 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $940 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $940 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $586 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $235 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in South Carolina
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $408 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $2,708 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
The schedule builds in a self-support reserve of $1,010.50 a month. When the paying parent's income is in the schedule's shaded area, support is the schedule amount on that parent's income only, with no add-ons. Below $750 of combined income the court decides case by case, ordinarily at least $100 a month.
The schedule runs to $40,000 of combined income a month. Above that the court sets support case by case; this estimate shows the amount at the top of the schedule.
Child support by number of children in South Carolina
- 1 child$635 a month
- 2 children$940 a month
- 3 children$1,102 a month
- 4 children$1,231 a month
- 5 children$1,354 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: S.C. Code Ann. § 63-17-470; S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 114-4710 to 114-4750 (Child Support Guidelines)
- South Carolina child support guidelines
- Worksheets A (sole custody), B (split custody) and C (shared parenting), DSS Booklet 2819
- Official South Carolina child support calculator
- South Carolina Department of Social Services, Child Support Services
- Changing a South Carolina child support order
Guidelines effective January 1, 2024. Verified against the official South Carolina sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in South Carolina?
South Carolina uses the income shares model: the schedule gives the basic child support obligation for the parents' combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share. Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes; the schedule already allows for taxes. Means-tested benefits such as SSI and TANF don't count. Alimony between the parents is added to the income of the parent who receives it and deducted from the parent who pays it.
What is the child support for one child in South Carolina on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, South Carolina's guideline amount for one child is about $556 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in South Carolina?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $235 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). When the parent with less time has at least 110 overnights a year, the shared parenting worksheet may be used: the basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, split by income and reduced by each parent's share of overnights, and the two amounts are offset. Close to the threshold the change is phased in overnight by overnight. A judge decides whether to use it.
What is the minimum child support in South Carolina?
The schedule builds in a self-support reserve of $1,010.50 a month. When the paying parent's income is in the schedule's shaded area, support is the schedule amount on that parent's income only, with no add-ons. Below $750 of combined income the court decides case by case, ordinarily at least $100 a month.
When does child support end in South Carolina?
Support normally ends when the child turns 18, marries or becomes self-supporting, whichever comes first. If the child is still in high school, it continues until graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is later. Support can continue past 18 under an earlier agreement or order, and a court may extend it for a child with a physical or mental disability or other exceptional circumstances. We didn't locate a general duty to pay for college.