There is a cap on the monthly net income that you can use to pay child support. The Texas max child support increased from $8,550 per month to $9,200 per month in 2021. The maximum amount you pay for child support for one child in 2019 was $1,710 per month but it’s now $1,840 per child each month. These amounts decrease if the paying parent supports multiple children.
These changes are relevant for paying parents that meet the new higher income caps including those that already had a divorce decree or child support order. Your monthly gross income in Texas is affected by a year’s tax laws. That can affect the max monthly net income.
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Requirements For Child Support Changes In Texas
Maximum Child Support In Texas Per Month
The child support max caps rose in September 2019. Not all persons receiving child support or paying child support are affected by these changes. These changes apply to:
- Employed parents that pay child support and earn a gross monthly income between $12,283 per month (about $147,400 gross income annually) and $12, 325 per month ($147,904 gross income annually) or more.
- Self-employed parents that pay child support that have gross monthly resources between $13,143 per month (about $157,718 gross income annually) and $13,238 per month (158,862 gross income annually) or more.
For parents that already received a child support order or divorce decree before September 2019 and earn an income above the previous cap, there will be no automatic increase in child support amount. Take note that these child support changes do not affect child support payments made before September 2019. This means parents that were paying child support before that change do not have to worry about issues involving arrears and past due child support.
Child Support Payments Do Not Increase Automatically
Is There A Cap On Child Support In Texas
Parents receiving child support have to remind the paying parent about the child support cap increases if the receiving parent wants the paying parent to start paying more voluntarily. But to make this increase enforceable, the parents will have to file a petition in court for modification of their child support order or divorce decree.
Parents need advice from an experienced child support lawyer or détente mediator about how to modify child support or a divorce decree. But parents can always agree on child support payment amounts without considering the guidelines.
Calculating Child Support In Texas
Texas law provides guidelines on how to calculate child support based on a paying parent’s net monthly resources and the number of children involved. It often begins by calculating the paying parent’s net monthly resources and then multiplying the obtained figure with a certain percentage. These percentages are assigned according to the number of children affected by the divorce.
To calculate the amount you may have to pay for child support, you need to first calculate your annual gross income. Remember that income is not just your salary or wage but also other sources of income.
When calculating your gross income you need to include:
- Your wages, salary income, tips, commissions, bonuses, and more
- Royalties, interest, and dividends
- Self-employment income
- Net rental income
- All other incomes
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The content on this website is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. You should not rely on the information found on this website as a substitute for seeking professional legal counsel.
