How Indiana Calculates Child Support
Indiana adds the parents’ weekly adjusted incomes, reads the basic obligation from the weekly schedule, adds child care and the children’s insurance, splits the total by income share and gives the noncustodial parent credits, including a parenting time credit from 52 overnights.
Step 1: Weekly adjusted income
Start with each parent’s weekly gross income, which is actual weekly gross income if employed to full capacity, potential income if unemployed or underemployed, and the value of in-kind benefits (Guideline 3A). Deduct the adjustments for subsequent-born children and prior-born support orders to reach weekly adjusted income. See income and adjustments.
Step 2: The basic obligation
Add the two weekly adjusted incomes and find the combined amount in the Guideline Schedules for Weekly Support Payments for the number of children (weekly schedule). For combined amounts between rows, the basic obligation is taken at the nearest amount shown (Guideline 3D). Below $100 of combined weekly adjusted income the Guidelines call for a case-by-case determination.
Step 3: Additions and shares
Add the weekly cost of work-related child care and the children’s health insurance premium to get the total child support obligation. Each parent’s obligation is his or her percentage of the combined adjusted income times that total (Guideline 3F). The custodial parent’s share is presumed to be spent directly on the children.
Step 4: Credits
The noncustodial parent subtracts the child care and insurance he or she pays directly, and a parenting time credit when there are 52 or more overnights (Guideline 3E). See the parenting time credit.
A worked example
Two children live mostly with their mother (A), who earns $900 a week and pays $90 a week for child care. The father (B) earns $1,200 a week, pays $40 a week for the children’s insurance and has 40 overnights a year.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Weekly gross income: custodial parent (A) / noncustodial parent (B) | $900 / $1,200 |
| Combined weekly adjusted income | $2,100 |
| Basic obligation, two children (schedule row $2,100) | $420 |
| Child care $90 paid by A and insurance $40 paid by B (weekly) | $130 |
| Total child support obligation (Line 5) | $550 |
| A’s share / B’s share | 42.86% / 57.14% |
| B’s share of the total (Line 6) | $314.29 |
| Less the $40 insurance B pays | −$40.00 |
| B pays A each week (B has 40 overnights, no credit) | $274.29 |
The weekly amount is $274 rounded to the nearest dollar, about $1,189 a month. With 100 overnights the parenting time credit brings it down to $206 a week. The Indiana child support calculator reproduces both.
What to gather
Pay stubs for both parents, the weekly cost of child care and the children’s insurance premium, any prior-born support orders and a calendar of the actual overnights. The Indiana Judicial Branch’s online calculator uses the same inputs.
Paying weekly
Indiana amounts are weekly. The amount of child support entered as an order may be rounded to the nearest dollar (Guideline 9), and the monthly figure in the calculator is the weekly amount times 52 divided by 12.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert monthly income to weekly in Indiana?
Multiply by 12 and divide by 52. The calculator does this when you choose the monthly unit.
What is the Indiana basic child support obligation?
The amount in the Guideline Schedules for Weekly Support Payments for the combined weekly adjusted income and the number of children.
Are child care and insurance added to Indiana child support?
Yes. Work-related child care and the children's health insurance premium are added to the basic obligation, and the parent who pays each gets a credit.
Is Indiana child support presumed correct?
Yes. The amount from the Guidelines is a rebuttable presumption.
Does the custodial parent pay child support in Indiana?
No. The custodial parent's share is presumed spent directly on the children, unless the parenting time credit exceeds the noncustodial parent's obligation.
Official sources
- Indiana Child Support Rules and Guidelines
- Guideline Schedules for Weekly Support Payments
- Guideline 6: Parenting Time Credit
- Indiana Judicial Branch: child support calculator
A local family law attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Indiana statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Indiana attorney.