California Family Law Guide
Child Support & Alimony Laws for 2024
Child Support Calculator
Calculate California child support based on Income Shares model and SB 343 updates
Calculate Child Support →Alimony Calculator
Calculate California spousal support using county-specific formulas and FC § 4320 factors
Calculate Alimony →California Child Support Guidelines (Family Code § 4055)
California follows the Income Shares model, which considers both parents' combined income to determine child support obligations. The goal is to ensure children receive the same proportion of parental income as if the parents were living together in an intact household.
Key Features of California's System:
- • Statewide Uniform Guideline - mandatory formula (Family Code § 4055)
- • Presumptively Correct Amount - courts must use guideline unless unjust
- • Form FL-150 mandatory financial disclosure as calculation foundation
- • DissoMaster/XSpouse - state-approved calculation software
- • SB 343 Updates - refined income definitions and cost allocation methods
Senate Bill 343 represents the most significant update to California child support law in decades, specifically targeting shared custody scenarios where both parents have substantial parenting time.
Before SB 343 (Pre-2024)
- • Traditional Income Shares calculation
- • Limited shared custody adjustments
- • Higher support orders in shared custody cases
- • Less accurate reflection of actual costs
After SB 343 (Current)
- • Enhanced shared custody formula
- • Better reflects actual parenting costs
- • Potential for significantly lower support orders
- • Updated K-factor calculations for timeshare
SB 343 Goals
Update child support guidelines to reflect current cost of living, refine income definitions, and improve how costs are shared between parents in shared custody arrangements.
Includable Income Sources
- • Employment: Salary, wages, commissions, bonuses, overtime, tips, severance
- • Business: Gross receipts minus necessary business expenses
- • Investment: Dividends, interest, rental income, royalties
- • Benefits: Workers' comp, unemployment, disability, Social Security (not SSI)
- • Other: Trust income, annuities, spousal support from other relationships
- • In-Kind Benefits: Company car, housing allowance, meal benefits
Variable Income Averaging
Form FL-150 requires 12-month averaging for bonuses, commissions, self-employment income
Excluded from Income
- • Child Support Received (prevents circular calculation)
- • Need-Based Public Assistance: CalWorks, General Assistance, SSI
- • One-Time Funds: Principal from student loans, inheritances, life insurance
- • Gifts: Non-recurring gifts (recurring gifts may be included)
Business Expense "Add-Backs"
Per Marriage of Chakko: Personal expenses paid by business must be added back to income, even if tax-deductible (company car, meals, travel)
California Spousal Support (Family Code § 4320)
Temporary Support (Pendente Lite)
- • Formula-Driven: County-specific computer programs
- • Presumptively Correct: Court must use formula unless rebutted
- • DissoMaster: Used in Los Angeles, Orange County
- • XSpouse: Used in San Francisco Bay Area
- • Purpose: Maintain status quo during divorce proceedings
Permanent Support (Post-Judgment)
- • Factor-Based: Court discretion using 14 statutory factors
- • No Formula: Cannot be calculated by computer program
- • Family Code § 4320: Comprehensive factor analysis required
- • Goal: Achieving reasonable self-sufficiency when possible
- • Duration: Varies by case circumstances and marriage length
While Family Code § 4320 governs permanent spousal support, California counties use computer programs with specific formulas for temporary support calculations during divorce proceedings.
Los Angeles County
DissoMaster
Typically 40% of net income difference
Orange County
DissoMaster
Similar to LA County methodology
San Francisco
XSpouse
Different calculation methodology
Primary Economic Factors
- • Earning Capacity: Each spouse's ability to earn income based on marketable skills, job market, education
- • Standard of Living: Lifestyle established during marriage
- • Supporting Spouse's Ability to Pay: Considering their own needs
- • Assets and Debts: Both marital and separate property
- • Duration of Marriage: Length impacts support duration expectations
Personal & Circumstantial Factors
- • Age and Health: Physical and emotional condition of both parties
- • Education and Training: Time needed to acquire job skills
- • Contributions to Marriage: Homemaking, child care, career building support
- • Child Care Responsibilities: Impact on employment capacity
- • Tax Consequences: Effect of support payments on both parties
- • Domestic Violence: History affecting support determination
- • Balance of Hardships: Goal of self-sufficiency vs. need
Short-Term Marriages (<10 years)
- • General Rule: Support for approximately half the marriage length
- • Rebuttable Presumption: Court may deviate with proper justification
- • Goal: Reasonable period to achieve self-sufficiency
Long-Term Marriages (10+ years)
- • No Time Limit: Court retains jurisdiction indefinitely
- • Modification Possible: Based on changed circumstances
- • Self-Sufficiency: Still encouraged when reasonable
Self-Sufficiency Standard
Family Code § 4320(l) requires consideration of the goal that the supported party become self-supporting within a reasonable period of time. A "reasonable period" is generally half the length of the marriage for short-term marriages.
Ready to Calculate Your Support?
Use our California-specific calculators to get accurate estimates based on current state guidelines.