New York Child Support Calculator (CSSA)
New York's Child Support Standards Act applies a percentage to combined parental income, then splits the basic obligation pro rata by income.
Formula
Basic obligation = CSSA percentage × combined parental income (capped, see below). Percentages: 17% (1 child), 25% (2), 29% (3), 31% (4), at least 35% (5 or more). The noncustodial parent pays their income share of that obligation; the custodial parent's share is presumed spent directly on the child.
Cap — $193,000 combined income from 1 March 2026
The combined-income cap is $193,000 (up from $183,000), adjusted biennially, so it runs through 28 February 2028. Above the cap the court must apply the percentages to the first $193,000, then for the excess may apply the percentages to some or all of it, apply the statutory factors, or combine both, stating its reasoning on the record. There is no automatic above-cap amount.
CSSA income and deductions
CSSA income is broad: gross income as reported or as it should be reported federally, plus investment income, workers' compensation, disability, unemployment, Social Security, pensions, veterans' benefits, annuities and voluntarily deferred compensation, with court discretion over resources such as non-income-producing assets and employer perks. Before applying the percentage, deduct FICA actually paid, New York City/Yonkers income tax, and maintenance paid to the other party (deducted from the payor, added to the payee). Income may be imputed for voluntary unemployment, underemployment or hidden income.
No timeshare adjustment — and no other-children percentage
There is no timeshare adjustment and no overnight threshold in the formula, and this site builds no shared-custody offset formula for New York. Shared or equal custody alone is not treated as a basis to deviate under the case law reported in secondary sources; deviation may be argued through the statutory factors (for example extraordinary visitation expenses). Other children are only a deviation factor, not a deduction or a percentage table.
Add-ons (pro rata, on top of basic support)
Mandatory if ordered: childcare needed for the custodial parent to work, look for work, or attend school/training; the child's share of health-insurance premiums and unreimbursed medical/dental expenses. Discretionary: childcare while seeking work, and educational expenses including private school and college, as justice requires. A commonly cited college-contribution custom is practice, not statute, and is not presented as law here.
Low-income protection
The self-support reserve is $21,546/year from 1 March 2026 (135% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, $15,960). The reserve and poverty level update annually, unlike the biennial cap. Exact low-income floor mechanics are described here only in general terms: if the guideline would leave the noncustodial parent below the reserve, the court applies the statutory floor rule rather than the full guideline.
Worked example
Noncustodial $72,000/year, custodial $48,000/year, 1 child, combined $120,000 (below the cap), no deviation. Basic obligation = 17% × $120,000 = $20,400/year. Noncustodial share = 60%. Pays 60% × $20,400 = $12,240/year = $1,020/month. If childcare of $600/month were ordered, the noncustodial share would be 60% × $600 = $360/month extra, for an illustrative $1,380/month before health-insurance and unreimbursed-medical shares.
End of support
Parents are chargeable for a child under 21. Support generally continues to age 21, unless earlier emancipation (marriage, military service, or other court-recognised emancipation) — longer than most states.
Sources: DRL §240(1-b) / Family Court Act §413; NY Unified Court System, “What's New in Matrimonial Legislation” 2026 (cap $193,000, reserve $21,546, poverty $15,960 from 1 Mar 2026). UCS 2026 update. Note: the OTDA LDSS-4515 chart PDF itself was not opened for this research; it is not cited as opened.
How to use this calculator
Enter each parent's annual CSSA income — broad gross income as reported or as it should be reported, plus the additional items listed on this page, minus FICA actually paid, New York City/Yonkers tax, and maintenance paid to the other party (deducted from the payor and added to the payee before the calculation). The calculator applies the CSSA percentage to combined income up to the $193,000 cap, then splits the basic obligation pro rata. While combined income is under the cap, the noncustodial parent's monthly figure equals the CSSA percentage of their own income — a useful cross-check. Above the cap, the figure shown is only the guideline portion on the first $193,000; the court decides any additional amount on the statutory factors.
Additional worked examples
| Noncustodial / custodial income | Children | Calculation | Basic support |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 / $50,000 | 2 | Combined $150,000; 25% × $150,000 = $37,500/year; noncustodial share 2/3 | $2,083/month |
| $250,000 / $100,000 | 1 | Combined $350,000 (above cap); 17% × $193,000 = $32,810/year; noncustodial share 5/7 | About $1,953/month on the capped portion only — the court may add an above-cap amount on the factors |
The above-cap example is deliberately incomplete as a final order: no calculator can state the above-cap portion, because the court must choose between applying the percentage, the factors, or both, and state its reasoning.
Common mistakes
- Applying the percentage to one parent only without the pro-rata step. Under the cap the shortcut happens to match, but above the cap it does not — the cap applies to combined income, then the share is split.
- Adding a shared-custody offset. New York has no timeshare adjustment in the formula. Shared or equal custody alone does not reduce the CSSA figure.
- Deducting other children from income. New York has no other-children deduction or percentage table. Other children are only a deviation factor.
- Using the old $183,000 cap. The cap rose to $193,000 on 1 March 2026 and runs through 28 February 2028.
- Assuming support ends at 18. New York parents are chargeable until age 21, unless earlier emancipation — longer than most states.
How courts deviate from the guideline
A guideline figure is a presumption, not a guarantee. Courts commonly depart where the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate on the facts: a child's proven needs or special expenses, a parent's other obligations, hardship, high or very low income, shared-care arrangements that change real costs, and tax or benefit effects the formula does not capture. Where a court deviates, it generally must explain why and state the guideline figure it departed from. That is why every calculator on this site shows its formula and its cap: you can see what the court starts from, even if the final order differs.
Deviation factors under §240(1-b)(f) include financial resources, the child's standard of living and needs, non-monetary contributions, tax consequences, wasteful dissipation, extraordinary visitation expenses, and the needs of other children the noncustodial parent supports. The court must state its reasons for deviating.
When to hire a lawyer
An estimate is a starting point, not a strategy. Talk to a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before you rely on a figure if any of these apply: custody is disputed; there is a business, professional practice or complex property to value; retirement accounts, stock or deferred compensation are involved; either parent's income is disputed, imputed or largely non-cash; a child has special needs or disability; support is above a statutory cap; or the other party already has a lawyer. A lawyer can also advise on deviation factors, add-ons and enforcement in that jurisdiction — none of which a guideline calculator can decide. This site cannot recommend a specific lawyer and does not take referral fees.
Frequently asked questions
These questions are shown on the page in full. They are not marked up as FAQ structured data.
What is the New York child support cap?
$193,000 of combined parental income from 1 March 2026 through 28 February 2028. Above it, the excess is discretionary on the statute or its factors.
Does shared custody reduce New York child support in the formula?
No. There is no timeshare adjustment or overnight threshold in the CSSA formula, and this site does not build a shared-custody offset formula.
Until what age does New York child support run?
Generally to age 21, unless earlier emancipation.
Does New York adjust for shared custody?
No. The formula has no timeshare adjustment and no overnight threshold. Deviation may be argued on the statutory factors, including extraordinary visitation expenses, but there is no offset formula to publish.
What is added on top of basic support?
Childcare needed for work or training and the child's share of health-insurance premiums and unreimbursed medical or dental expenses are ordered on top, shared pro rata by income. Educational expenses may be ordered as justice requires.
Change log
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| October 2026 | Initial build: formula, cap and worked examples from official sources, dated October 2026. |
| October 2026 | Remediation pass: FAQPage structured data removed and replaced with BreadcrumbList plus WebApplication/Article schema; visible FAQ added; navigation replaced with three hub pages and same-jurisdiction Related links; author byline and author box added; clean folder URLs. No calculator formula, cap or worked-example figure was changed in this pass. |
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