Washington child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Washington guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Washington's guideline amount is $1,024 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Washington uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect January 1, 2026.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
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Guideline child support
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Washington child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $50 | $581 | $795 | $959 |
| 2 children | $100 | $867 | $1,191 | $1,432 |
| 3 children | $150 | $1,042 | $1,413 | $1,712 |
| 4 children | $200 | $1,077 | $1,567 | $1,913 |
| 5 children | $250 | $1,077 | $1,723 | $2,103 |
How Washington calculates child support
Washington uses the income shares model on net income. The economic table gives an amount for each child from the parents' combined monthly net income and the number of children; each parent owes their share of the total, and the parent the children don't live with pays theirs.
Net income is gross income from most sources minus income taxes actually owed, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory state insurance premiums (paid family and medical leave and WA Cares), mandatory dues and pension payments, limited voluntary retirement contributions, maintenance paid and business expenses. Maintenance received counts as income. Washington prescribes no tax method, so the net income here is an estimate: the parent the children live with is assumed to file as head of household and claim them.
Washington has no parenting-time formula. A court may deviate from the standard calculation when the children spend a significant amount of time with the paying parent, unless that would leave the other household unable to meet the children's basic needs.
If combined net income is below $2,200, each parent owes the presumptive minimum of $50 per child. A parent's basic obligation can't take their net income below the self-support reserve of $2,394 (180% of the federal poverty guideline for one person), and the amount is never less than $50 per child.
The children's health insurance premiums, uninsured health costs, day care and special child-rearing expenses are shared in proportion to income. The parent who pays a cost gets a credit for it.
Children from other relationships don't change the table amount, and support paid for them isn't deducted, though a court may deviate. If a parent has other biological or legal children, the income above the self-support reserve is shared among all of that parent's children, and only the share for the children in this case limits the obligation.
The table is presumptive up to $50,000 of combined monthly net income. Above that a court may order more with written findings; this estimate uses the top row. Support for all of a parent's children may not exceed 45% of that parent's net income without good cause; the worksheet shows that limit for the court, and this estimate doesn't apply it.
Combined income is rounded to the nearest hundred dollars to find the table row. Income shares are rounded to three decimal places and each parent's share to the nearest dollar, as in the official calculator.
Parenting time in Washington
Washington's guidelines don't adjust for parenting time; courts may deviate. Washington has no parenting-time formula. A court may deviate from the standard calculation when the children spend a significant amount of time with the paying parent, unless that would leave the other household unable to meet the children's basic needs.
Low and high incomes in Washington
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $100 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $2,790 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
If combined net income is below $2,200, each parent owes the presumptive minimum of $50 per child. A parent's basic obligation can't take their net income below the self-support reserve of $2,394 (180% of the federal poverty guideline for one person), and the amount is never less than $50 per child.
The table is presumptive up to $50,000 of combined monthly net income. Above that a court may order more with written findings; this estimate uses the top row. Support for all of a parent's children may not exceed 45% of that parent's net income without good cause; the worksheet shows that limit for the court, and this estimate doesn't apply it.
Child support by number of children in Washington
- 1 child$679 a month
- 2 children$1,024 a month
- 3 children$1,218 a month
- 4 children$1,350 a month
- 5 children$1,485 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: Chapter 26.19 RCW (Child Support Schedule), as amended by 2025 c 272
- Washington child support guidelines
- Washington State Child Support Schedule Worksheets
- Official Washington child support calculator
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Child Support
- Changing a Washington child support order
Guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Verified against the official Washington sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Washington?
Washington uses the income shares model on net income. The economic table gives an amount for each child from the parents' combined monthly net income and the number of children; each parent owes their share of the total, and the parent the children don't live with pays theirs. Net income is gross income from most sources minus income taxes actually owed, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory state insurance premiums (paid family and medical leave and WA Cares), mandatory dues and pension payments, limited voluntary retirement contributions, maintenance paid and business expenses. Maintenance received counts as income. Washington prescribes no tax method, so the net income here is an estimate: the parent the children live with is assumed to file as head of household and claim them.
What is the child support for one child in Washington on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Washington's guideline amount for one child is about $581 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Washington?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $1,024 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Washington has no parenting-time formula. A court may deviate from the standard calculation when the children spend a significant amount of time with the paying parent, unless that would leave the other household unable to meet the children's basic needs.
What is the minimum child support in Washington?
If combined net income is below $2,200, each parent owes the presumptive minimum of $50 per child. A parent's basic obligation can't take their net income below the self-support reserve of $2,394 (180% of the federal poverty guideline for one person), and the amount is never less than $50 per child.
When does child support end in Washington?
Support ends when the child is emancipated, at 18 in Washington, or on the paying parent's death. A court may extend support so the child can finish high school, may order support for a dependent adult child, and may order post-secondary education support, normally not past the child's 23rd birthday.