Pennsylvania Child Support Calculator
Evaluate guideline child support with shared custody credits, childcare adjustments, and high-income formulas.
Run Your Pennsylvania Scenario
Enter monthly income, deductions, parenting time, childcare, and insurance details. We estimate net income, apply the BCSO proxy, shared custody credit, and add-on reimbursements. Verify the Basic Child Support Obligation against the state schedule before filing.
Which best describes you?
Pennsylvania Child Support Estimate
Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16 Income Shares • Monthly guidance
Need more information
Enter the number of children and monthly gross income for both parents.
Guideline Overview
Pennsylvania’s guidelines require child support to be calculated before spousal support/APL. The combined monthly net income determines the BCSO, and shared custody credits reduce the obligor’s share when they have extended parenting time. Childcare and health insurance expenses are allocated by income share, then incorporated into the monthly transfer.
Workflow Highlights
- Shared custody credit triggers at 40% overnights for the obligor.
- High-income formulas apply above $30,000 combined monthly net income.
- Childcare reduced by federal tax credit eligibility before allocation.
Practice Tips
- Confirm the BCSO from the official schedule prior to filing.
- Document actual childcare tax credit amounts; adjust the proxy as needed.
- Keep track of unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding $250 per child per year for proportional reimbursement.
How the Calculation Works
- Determine monthly net income. Subtract taxes, FICA, mandatory dues, and existing support to approximate guideline net income.
- Locate the BCSO. Use the combined net income and number of children to find the Basic Child Support Obligation (verify with Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3).
- Apply shared custody credit if applicable. If the obligor has ≥40% overnights, subtract 30 percentage points and multiply the BCSO accordingly.
- Allocate add-ons. Reduce childcare by the tax credit, allocate childcare and insurance by income share, and adjust the transfer to reimburse the paying parent.
- Integrate spousal support/APL. After final child support, apply the 30% or 40% guideline to evaluate spousal support/APL exposure.
Shared Custody Planning
Model 40%, 45%, or 50% parenting schedules to anticipate the custody credit’s impact.
Add-On Expense Tracking
Keep documentation for childcare and health insurance to support reimbursement requests.
Deviation Awareness
Use the detailed output to prepare arguments for deviations under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-5 when the presumptive amount is unjust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this calculator use the Pennsylvania support schedule?
We approximate the Basic Child Support Obligation using guideline percentage factors and apply the exact high-income formulas. Confirm the final number against the official Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3 schedule before filing.
How is the shared custody credit applied?
When the obligor has at least 146 overnights (40%), we subtract 30 percentage points and apply the resulting credit to reduce the obligor’s income share in accordance with Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4(c).
Do you account for the federal Child Care Tax Credit?
We reduce reported childcare expenses by a 20% proxy when the paying parent notes they are eligible. Adjust this figure to match your actual tax credit before submitting to the court.
What about spousal support or APL?
The calculator determines child support first, then applies the 30% or 40% guideline for spousal support/APL. Use the separate APL calculator for more detail.
Keep Pace with Pennsylvania Updates
The calculator reflects Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16 rules as of 2024. Confirm the BCSO using the official schedule and note that courts may deviate when the presumptive amount is unjust or inappropriate.
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