EnglishEspañol

Child Support Laws in the United States (2026)

Independently fact-checked Editor-reviewed Law current as of August 9, 2026By Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished June 6, 2026Reviewed August 20, 202613 min read

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 16, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 9, 2026. · 10 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Child Support Laws in the United States (2026)

Key Takeaways

1Child support in the U.S. is governed by state law under a federal framework established by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b), enacted in 1975.
2States use three main calculation models: Income Shares (41 states, including New York and California as notable variants), Percentage of Income (6 states: Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin), and the Melson Formula (Delaware, Hawaii, Montana). DC uses a separate hybrid model.
3Federal law requires automatic income withholding on all new child support orders and gives states powerful tools: passport denial at $2,500 in arrears, tax refund intercepts, and license suspension.
4The Bradley Amendment (Pub. L. 99-509, 1986) permanently prohibits any court from retroactively reducing or eliminating child support arrears, missed payments become a final judgment from the date they were due.
5All 50 states and D.C. have adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), ensuring that only one state at a time has jurisdiction over any interstate child support case.

Child support in the United States operates under a federal framework set by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b), but each state sets its own formula. Three main guideline models govern how states calculate child support: Income Shares (41 states), Percentage of Income (6 states), and the Melson Formula (3 states). Select your state from the list below to read its specific rules, or use any of the free state child support calculators linked further down.

Child Support in the United States: An Overview

Child support is a court-ordered payment from one parent to the other to help cover the costs of raising a child after separation or divorce.

United States calculator beside printed financial statements on a desk

The paying parent is called the obligor, typically the non-custodial parent. The receiving parent is called the obligee, typically the custodial parent.

Unlike some areas of family law, child support in the United States is shaped by both federal law and state law. Every state has its own guidelines, formulas, and procedures. But all states must comply with federal requirements for automatic income withholding, enforcement tools, and interstate cases.

The result is that child support amounts can vary significantly from state to state, even for identical income and custody situations.

New Child Support Laws in 2026: What Actually Changed

No federal law changed how child support is calculated in 2026. Claims circulating on social media about a nationwide overhaul misread routine state guideline updates as federal action: the only federal activity this year has been a pair of proposed administrative rules about program paperwork, neither of which is final and neither of which touches the support formulas. Child support math is set state by state, and several states did revise their guidelines for 2026:

Washington expanded its economic table to combined monthly net incomes up to $50,000 (previously $12,000) and raised the self-support reserve to $2,200 per month, effective January 1, 2026 (EHB 1014, amending RCW 26.19.020).
Colorado eliminated the 93-overnight parenting-time cliff so that overnight credit now scales from the first overnight, and raised its combined-income cap to $40,000 per month, for orders entered or modified on or after March 1, 2026 (HB 25-1159).
New Jersey adopted its annual guideline updates to Appendices IX-A, IX-B and IX-E and the tax-withholding tables, effective June 1, 2026, by order of the New Jersey Supreme Court.
New York applied the scheduled biennial cost-of-living adjustment to the CSSA combined parental income cap, with the revised chart taking effect in March 2026.

Other states made narrower adjustments; each state page below reflects that state's current rules.

Federal Child Support Framework

Title IV-D and the Office of Child Support Services

Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b) established the federal child support enforcement program when Congress enacted it through P.L. 93-647 in January 1975.

Under Title IV-D, every state must operate a child support enforcement (CSE) program as a condition of receiving federal welfare funds. In exchange, the federal government reimburses states for approximately 66 percent of their child support enforcement costs.

The federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), formerly the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), sits within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In June 2023 the office was renamed to reflect its broader family-centered mission. OCSS sets policy, issues regulations, and publishes annual data on nationwide child support collections.

According to OCSS fiscal year 2024 preliminary data, the program collected approximately $29.5 billion on behalf of 12.2 million children and families nationwide. Income withholding accounted for 71 percent of all collections.

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)

When parents live in different states, questions about which state's court has jurisdiction can become complicated. The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) solves this with a single-state rule.

Under UIFSA, only one state at a time has "continuing exclusive jurisdiction" (CEJ) over a child support order. The state that issues the order retains CEJ as long as either parent or the child continues to live there.

Congress first required all states to adopt UIFSA as a condition of federal welfare funding under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193). Congress later mandated adoption of the updated 2008 version under P.L. 113-183 (2014). As of 2016, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the 2008 version.

UIFSA also governs how income withholding orders are honored across state lines. An income withholding order issued by any U.S. state must be honored by employers nationwide.

Automatic Income Withholding

Federal law requires that an income withholding order be issued simultaneously with every new child support order, even in cases not processed through the state IV-D agency.

Under 42 U.S.C. § 666(b), the employer must deduct the child support amount directly from the obligor's paycheck and send it to the state disbursement unit. This automatic withholding requirement was extended universally to all child support orders effective January 1, 1994.

Income withholding is the most reliable and efficient enforcement mechanism in the child support system. It eliminates voluntary non-payment as the first line of defense for families waiting on support.

Federal Enforcement Tools

When a parent falls behind on child support, federal and state law provide a powerful toolkit.

Passport denial and revocation. Under 42 U.S.C. § 652(k), the U.S. Department of State must deny, revoke, or restrict a passport when a person has child support arrears of $2,500 or more. This passport denial program has been in effect since PRWORA (Pub. L. 104-193) in 1996, which originally set the arrears threshold at $5,000. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171, Section 7303(a)) lowered it to the current $2,500, effective October 1, 2006.

Federal Tax Refund Offset Program (FTROP). Under 26 U.S.C. § 6402(c) and 42 U.S.C. § 664, OCSS can intercept federal tax refunds to satisfy unpaid child support. The qualification threshold is $150 in arrears for cases where the family received TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and $500 for non-TANF cases.

Credit bureau reporting. States must report past-due child support to consumer reporting agencies when arrears exceed $1,000, under 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(7). Unpaid child support can remain on a credit report for up to seven years.

License suspension. All states have laws allowing the suspension of a non-paying parent's driver's license, professional licenses, and recreational licenses for persistent non-payment.

Property liens. States can place liens on real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, and other assets belonging to the obligor.

Contempt of court. Failure to pay child support as ordered can result in civil contempt, fines, incarceration, or both. Willful non-payment can also support criminal charges in many states.

The Bradley Amendment: Arrears Are Final

One of the most consequential rules in American child support law is the Bradley Amendment (P.L. 99-509, §9103, enacted 1986, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(9)).

The Bradley Amendment permanently prohibits any court, state or federal, from retroactively reducing or canceling child support arrears.

Once a payment comes due and is missed, that amount becomes a final, unmodifiable judgment from the date it was due. This rule applies even if the obligor lost their job, went to prison, became disabled, or was unaware that a child support order existed.

Only payments due in the future can be reduced through a modification order. Arrears that have already accrued cannot be forgiven by any court.

How States Calculate Child Support

Every state uses a mathematical formula to calculate child support. The formula falls into one of three main models recognized by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The model a state uses determines whose income is counted, how expenses are allocated, and how parenting time affects the amount owed.

Income Shares Model, 41 States

The Income Shares model is the most widely used approach in the United States. Economist Robert G. Williams developed it for the National Center for State Courts in 1987. According to NCSL, 41 states (plus Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) use this model.

The core principle is that a child should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family had remained together.

Under this model, both parents' incomes are combined. A guidelines table is used to find the total amount parents at that combined income level would typically spend on children. Each parent then pays a proportional share of that total based on their percentage of the combined income.

The custodial parent is presumed to spend their share directly on the child. The non-custodial parent pays their share to the other parent as cash support.

Most Income Shares states add the cost of the child's health insurance premium and work-related childcare costs, dividing those expenses proportionally between the parents as well.

Notable Income Shares variants. Two states are classified as Income Shares by NCSL but use distinct formulas worth noting. New York applies the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA, Domestic Relations Law § 240), which sets fixed percentages of combined parental income, 17% for one child, 25% for two, 29% for three, 31% for four, and 35% for five or more, up to a statutory cap of $193,000 in combined parental income (updated March 1, 2026, from the prior $183,000 cap). California uses an algebraic formula under Family Code § 4055: CS = K[HN - (H%)(TN)], which uniquely weights each parent's physical custody share to calculate support.

Percentage of Income Model, 6 States

The Percentage of Income model bases child support solely on the obligor's (non-custodial parent's) income, without considering the custodial parent's earnings.

A fixed or varying percentage is applied to the obligor's gross or net income depending on the state's rules. This model is simpler but does not account for the custodial parent's ability to contribute to child-rearing costs.

The six states using this model are: Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Texas, for example, applies net income percentages up to a monthly cap; Wisconsin applies a flat percentage of gross income.

Melson Formula, 3 States

The Melson Formula, developed by Delaware Family Court Judge Elwood Melson in the 1970s, takes a three-step needs-based approach.

First, it calculates each parent's minimum self-support reserve, the income each parent must retain to cover their own basic needs. Second, it calculates each child's minimum needs. Third, any income remaining above those minimums is allocated proportionally between the parents to provide additional support.

The three states using the Melson Formula are Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana. It is the most protective of low-income obligors among the three models.

District of Columbia, Hybrid Model

The District of Columbia uses a hybrid model that starts as a varying percentage of income model and is then reduced by a formula based on the custodial parent's income. It does not fit squarely into any of the three main categories.

Parenting Time Adjustments

Most states reduce the non-custodial parent's child support obligation when they have substantial parenting time.

The logic is straightforward: a parent who has the children for a large portion of the year is already spending directly on housing, food, clothing, and other child-related costs during that time. Requiring the same level of cash support payments on top of that direct spending would result in double-counting.

The overnight threshold that triggers an adjustment varies by state, most commonly between 110 and 146 overnights per year, representing approximately 30% to 40% of the year.

In Income Shares states, the adjustment typically reduces the obligor's proportional share of the combined support obligation. In some states, a separate shared-custody calculation applies where each parent's obligation is computed independently and the difference is paid by the parent with the higher obligation.

Requesting a Modification

Child support orders are not permanent. Either parent can petition the court to modify an existing order when there has been a substantial change in circumstances.

Common grounds for modification include a significant change in either parent's income, a change in physical custody arrangements, the child developing special needs, a change in the child's health insurance coverage, or the birth or adoption of additional children.

Most states also allow a review without proving changed circumstances if the order is at least three years old and the current amount differs from the guideline amount by a specified threshold, commonly 15% to 20%.

The Bradley Amendment reminder: A modification only affects future payments. It cannot reduce or eliminate any arrears that have already accrued. Parents who anticipate difficulty paying should file for a modification immediately, waiting only increases the amount of arrears that become permanent.

State Child Support Laws

The guides below cover each state's child support guidelines in detail: how support is calculated, how to apply, enforcement procedures, modification standards, and when support ends.

A--D

E--K

L--N

O--W

Child Support Calculators by State

Use these free calculators to estimate child support obligations under each state's current guidelines. Every calculator provides a step-by-step legal breakdown with statute citations so you can see exactly how the number was calculated.

A--D

E--K

L--N

O--W

Frequently Asked Questions

What federal law governs child support in the United States?

Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651-669b), enacted in 1975, establishes the federal child support enforcement framework. It requires every state to operate a child support enforcement program and sets uniform rules for income withholding, passport denial, tax refund intercepts, and other enforcement tools. The federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) under HHS oversees all state programs.

Can child support arrears ever be forgiven or reduced?

No. Under the Bradley Amendment (Pub. L. 99-509, 1986, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(9)), courts are permanently prohibited from retroactively reducing or eliminating child support arrears. Once a payment is missed, that amount becomes a final unmodifiable judgment. Only future payments can be reduced through a modification. This applies even if the obligor was incarcerated, unemployed, or unaware of the order.

What happens if you stop paying child support?

Federal and state law provide multiple enforcement mechanisms: automatic income withholding from wages, passport denial or revocation when arrears reach $2,500 (42 U.S.C. § 652(k)), federal and state tax refund intercepts (at $150 for TANF cases, $500 for non-TANF), credit bureau reporting, driver's and professional license suspension, property and bank account liens, and contempt of court, which can result in incarceration.

Do all states calculate child support the same way?

No. Each state has its own guidelines and formula, but all states use one of three main models recognized by NCSL: the Income Shares model (41 states, including New York and California with their own statutory variants), the Percentage of Income model (6 states: Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin), and the Melson Formula used by Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana. DC uses a separate hybrid model. While the formulas differ, all states follow the same federal rules for income withholding and enforcement.

What is the Income Shares model of child support?

The Income Shares model, used by 41 states, combines both parents' incomes and uses a guidelines table to estimate what they would have spent on the child if the family had remained together. That total obligation is then divided between the parents in proportion to each parent's share of combined income. The non-custodial parent pays their share as cash support; the custodial parent is presumed to spend their share directly on the child.

Can a child support order from one state be enforced in another?

Yes. All 50 states and D.C. have adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA, 2008 version), which ensures that only one state has jurisdiction over a child support order at a time. Income withholding orders issued in any U.S. state must be honored by employers in every other state under 42 U.S.C. § 666(b), and states cooperate to enforce each other's orders.

Updates

August 16, 2026

Corrected the history of the federal passport-denial threshold for child support arrears: it was originally $5,000 under the 1996 welfare reform law and was lowered to the current $2,500 by the 2006 Deficit Reduction Act, not unchanged as previously stated.

August 16, 2026

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources

August 9, 2026

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

August 8, 2026

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

June 6, 2026

Reviewed and approved by an editor

State-by-state comparison

Each state guide below is paired with the governing statute our editors adjudicated for it, held in our own legal record and verified against the official source.

State	Statute cited	Court citations
Alabama	Code of Alabama 1975, Title 30: Marital and Domestic Relations. § 30-3-155 — Determination of Child Support.	—
Alaska	Alaska Statutes, Title 25. Marital and Domestic Relations, Chapter 27. Child Support Services Agency § 25.27.060 — Order of support	5 opinions · latest 2022
Arizona	Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 25 (Marital and Domestic Relations), Chapter 3 (DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE), Article 2 (Dissolution of Marriage) § 25-320 — Child support; factors; methods of payment; additional…	261 opinions · latest 2026
Arkansas	Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated § 9-14-106 — Noncustodial parents — Amount of support — Definition.	—
California	California Family Code § 4055	82 opinions · latest 2026
Colorado	Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 14: Domestic Matters § 14-10-115 — Child support guidelines - purpose - determination of…	5 opinions · latest 2012
Connecticut	Connecticut General Statutes, Title 46b (Family Law), Chapter 815j § 46b-84 — (Formerly Sec. 46-57). Parents' obligation for maintenance…	—
Delaware	Delaware Code, Title 13 (Domestic Relations), Chapter 005 (DESERTION AND SUPPORT) § 501 — Duty to support minor child; duty to support child over 18…	—
District of Columbia	Code of the District of Columbia, Title 16: Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. - Chapter 9: Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc. § 16-916.01 — Child Support Guideline.	9 opinions · latest 2025
Florida	Florida Statutes § 61.30 — Child support guidelines; retroactive child support.	239 opinions · latest 2026
Georgia	Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 19-6-15 — Child support guidelines for determining amount of award;…	285 opinions · latest 2026
Hawaii	Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 576D: CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT § 576D-7 — Guidelines in establishing amount of child support	32 opinions · latest 2024
Idaho	Idaho Code § 32-706 — Child support	13 opinions · latest 2024
Illinois	Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 750, Act 5 (Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act) § 505 — Child support; contempt; penalties	—
Indiana	Indiana Code, TITLE 31. FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW § 31-16-6-1 — Child support orders; relevant factors; income withholding;…	—
Iowa	Iowa Code, Chapter 598: DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS § 598.21B — Orders for child support and medical support.	38 opinions · latest 2025
Kansas	Kansas Statutes Annotated, Chapter 23: KANSAS FAMILY LAW CODE-REVISED § 23-3001 — Minor children; support and education; definition of unborn…	5 opinions · latest 2025
Kentucky	Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 403: DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE -- CHILD CUSTODY § 403.212 — Child support guidelines -- Administrative regulation…	113 opinions · latest 2026
Louisiana	Louisiana Revised Statutes § 9:315.2 — Calculation of basic child support obligation	72 opinions · latest 2025
Maine	Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A: DOMESTIC RELATIONS, Part 3: PARENTS AND CHILDREN, Chapter 63: CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES § 2006 — Support guidelines	55 opinions · latest 2026
Maryland	Maryland Code, Family Law Article § 12-204	2 opinions · latest 2003
Massachusetts	Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 119A § 13 — Support payments or installments; judgment by operation of…	—
Michigan	Michigan Compiled Laws § 552.605 — Child support order; deviation from formula; agreement	80 opinions · latest 2026
Minnesota	Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 518A: CHILD SUPPORT § 518A.35 — GUIDELINE USED IN CHILD SUPPORT DETERMINATIONS	9 opinions · latest 2025
Mississippi	Mississippi Code of 1972 Annotated § 43-19-101 — Child support award guidelines.	205 opinions · latest 2025
Missouri	Revised Statutes of Missouri, Title XXX (DOMESTIC RELATIONS), Chapter 452 § 452.340 — Child support, how allocated — factors to be considered —…	191 opinions · latest 2023
Montana	Montana Code Annotated, Title 40 § 40-4-204 — Child Support -- Orders To Address Health Insurance --…	—
Nebraska	Nebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 42: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES § 42-364.16 — Child support guidelines; establishment; use	60 opinions · latest 2026
Nevada	Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 125B: OBLIGATION OF SUPPORT § 125B.020 — Obligation of parents.	—
New Hampshire	New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, TITLE XLIII DOMESTIC RELATIONS, CHAPTER 458-C CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES § 458-C:3 — Child Support Formula.	41 opinions · latest 2024
New Jersey	New Jersey Statutes (Unannotated) § 2A:34-23 — Alimony, maintenance.	—
New Mexico	New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 40 § 40-4-11.1 — Child support; guidelines	50 opinions · latest 2025
New York	New York Domestic Relations Law § 240 — Custody and child support; orders of protection	1,319 opinions · latest 2026
North Carolina	North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 50: Divorce and Alimony. § 50-13.4 — Action for support of minor child	286 opinions · latest 2026
North Dakota	North Dakota Century Code § 14-09-09.7 — Child support guidelines	—
Ohio	Ohio Revised Code § 3119.02 — Calculation of child support obligation	—
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Statutes, Title 43: MARRIAGE AND FAMILY § 118 — Child support guidelines	—
Oregon	Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 25: Support Enforcement § 25.275 — Formula for determining child support awards; criteria to…	—
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 (Domestic Relations) § 4322 — Support guideline	45 opinions · latest 2025
Rhode Island	Rhode Island General Laws, Title 15: Domestic Relations, Chapter 15-5: Divorce and Separation § 15-5-16.2 — Child support	1 opinions · latest 2002
South Carolina	South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 63: SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S CODE § 63-17-470 — Proceedings and awards	—
South Dakota	South Dakota Codified Laws, Chapter 25-7: SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS § 25-7-6.1 — Obligation of parents to support child--Liability of absent…	—
Tennessee	Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-5-101 — Child support order — Jurisdiction — Amount of support —…	—
Texas	Texas Family Code § 154.125 — APPLICATION OF GUIDELINES TO NET RESOURCES	—
Utah	Utah Code, Title 81: Utah Domestic Relations Code § 81-6-202 — Determination of amount of child support -- Application of…	—
Vermont	Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 15: Domestic Relations, Chapter 11: Annulment and Divorce, Subchapter: CHILD CUSTODY AND SUPPORT § 654 — Support guideline	18 opinions · latest 2017
Virginia	Code of Virginia, Title 20: Domestic Relations § 20-108.2 — Guideline for determination of child support; quadrennial…	—
Washington	Revised Code of Washington § 26.19.020 — Child support economic table.	103 opinions · latest 2024
West Virginia	West Virginia Code § 48-13-201 — Use of both parents' income in determining child support.	—
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 767: Actions Affecting The Family § 767.511 — Child support.	8 opinions · latest 2024
Wyoming	Wyoming Statutes, Title 20 - Domestic Relations - Chapter 2: Dissolution of Marriage - Article 3: Child Support § 20-2-304 — Presumptive child support.	—

Each statute shown is the same adjudicated anchor its state guide renders, independently verified against primary sources. A dash means not yet adjudicated in our record — never that no law exists.

The Law Behind This Article

This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.

Revised Code of Washington

§ 26.19.020Child support economic table.In forcecited in 2 of our articles

ECONOMIC TABLE MONTHLY BASIC SUPPORT OBLIGATION PER CHILD combined monthly net income one child family two children family For income less than $2,200 the obligation is based upon the resources and living expenses of each household. Minimum support may not be less than $50 per child per month except when allowed by RCW…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov

Cited in 103 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024

In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):In re the Marriage of Leslie (1998) held that when the parents' combined net monthly income exceeds the RCW 26.19.020 economic table, a court is not limited to the schedule's maximum and may exceed that amount upon written findings of fact. In Re Marriage of Fiorito (2002) applied Leslie, holding the court keeps discretion to add nothing.

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

In Re Marriage of Griffin (Washington Supreme Court 1990, 114 Wash. 2d 772)✓A father sought a downward adjustment after support rose to $424 per child, citing his ex-wife's remarriage and his costs. Applying the 1988 version of RCW 26.19.020, since rewritten, the court held trial courts may deviate from the schedule but found no abuse of discretion.
In re the Marriage of Leslie (Court of Appeals of Washington 1998, 90 Wash. App. 796)✓A father netting $29,000 a month had support cut to $1,400 after the trial court treated anything above the $7,000 economic table as a deviation. The court held a trial court is not capped at the table's top and must weigh the totality of the finances, and vacated the order.
In Re Marriage of Fiorito (Court of Appeals of Washington 2002, 50 P.3d 298)✓A wealthy father was ordered to pay $1,500 a month for twin daughters though his income far exceeded the table's top figure. The court held the RCW 26.19.020 table is not presumptive above $7,000 combined net income and a judge may find no added support warranted, and affirmed.

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Washington Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator

Code of Federal Regulations Title 45

§ 303.72Requests for collection of past-due support by Federal tax refund offset.In force

(a) Past-due support qualifying for offset. Past-due support as defined in § 301.1 of this chapter qualifies for offset if: (1) There has been an assignment of the support rights under section 408(a)(3) of the Act or section 471(a)(17) of the Act to the State making the request for offset or the IV-D agency is providing services under § 302.33 of this chapter. (2) For support that has been assigned to the State under section 408(a)(3) of the Act or section 471(a)(17) of the Act, the amount of the support is not less than $150. The State may combine assigned support amounts from the same obligor in multiple cases to reach $150. Amounts under this paragraph may not be combined with amounts under paragraph (a)(3) of this section to reach the minimum amounts required under this paragraph or under paragraph (a)(3) of this section. (3) For support owed in cases where the title IV-D agency is providing title IV-D services under § 302.33 of this chapter: (i) The support is owed to or on behalf of a child, or a child and the parent with whom the child is living if the same support order includes support for the child and the parent. (ii) The amount of support is not less than $500.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ecfr.gov

Cited in 23 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Jahn v. Regan (District Court, E.D. Michigan 1984, 584 F. Supp. 399)“…Treasury, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 664 (b). 6 45 C.F.R. § 303.72 (b) (1982) states: Past-due supp…”
Rogers v. Bucks County Domestic Relations Section (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 1992, 959 F.2d 1268)“…stance under the TRIP program. 42 U.S.C. § 664 (b)(2)(B); 45 C.F.R. § 303.72 (i)(2) (1991). See also 45 C.F.R. §§…”
Kandlbinder v. Reagen (District Court, W.D. Missouri 1989, 713 F. Supp. 337)“…s (as in this case), the arrears must be at least $500.00. 45 C.F.R. § 303.72 (a)(3)(h). The Division of Child Suppor…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

United States Code Title 26

§ 6402Authority to make credits or refundsIn force

In the case of any overpayment, the Secretary, within the applicable period of limitations, may credit the amount of such overpayment, including any interest allowed thereon, against any liability in respect of an internal revenue tax on the part of the person who made the overpayment and shall, subject to subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f), refund any balance to such person. The Secretary is authorized to prescribe regulations providing for the crediting against the estimated income tax for any taxable year of the amount determined by the taxpayer or the Secretary to be an overpayment of the income tax for a preceding taxable year. The amount of any overpayment to be refunded to the person making the overpayment shall be reduced by the amount of any past-due support (as defined in section 464(c) of the Social Security Act) owed by that person of which the Secretary has been notified by a State in accordance with section 464 of such Act.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 512 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

United States v. Williams (Supreme Court of the United States 1995, 514 U.S. 527)“…ard a credit or refund "[i]n the case of any overpayment," 26 U. S. C. § 6402 (a) describes the recipient not as the…”
In the Matter Of: Constance Luongo, Debtor. Internal Revenue Service v. Constance Luongo (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2001, 259 F.3d 323)“…income tax overpayment for her 1997 tax year. Pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 6402 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code 1 and…”
Drg Funding Corporation v. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit 1996, 76 F.3d 1212)“…he Internal Revenue Service was attempting to offset under 26 U.S.C. § 6402 (providing for offset of tax refunds),…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

United States Code Title 42

§ 652Duties of SecretaryIn forcecited in 6 of our articles

The Secretary shall establish, within the Department of Health and Human Services a separate organizational unit, under the direction of a designee of the Secretary, who shall report directly to the Secretary and who shall— establish such standards for State programs for locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, and obtaining child support and support for the spouse (or former spouse) with whom the noncustodial parent’s child is living as he determines to be necessary to assure that such programs will be effective; establish minimum organizational and staffing requirements for State units engaged in carrying out such programs under plans approved under this part; review and approve State plans for such programs; review data and calculations transmitted by State agencies pursuant to section 654(15)(B) of this title on State program accomplishments with respect to performance indicators for purposes of subsection (g) of this section and section 658a of this title; review annual reports submitted pursuant to section 654(15)(A) of this title and, as appropriate, provide to the State comments, recommendations for additional or alternative corrective actions, and technical…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 122 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Blessing v. Freestone (Supreme Court of the United States 1997, 520 U.S. 329)“…in a given percentage of all cases. Id., at 1149 (citing 42 U. S. C. § 652 (g)). Accordingly, the Court of Appeals…”
Cuvillier v. Taylor (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2007, 503 F.3d 397)“…urposes of this part.” 42 U.S.C.A. § 651 (West 2003). 42 U.S.C. § 652(a)(1) states: “(a) Establishment…”
Weinstein v. Albright (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2001, 261 F.3d 127)“…plaintiff's complaint. Plaintiff's complaint alleges that 42 U.S.C. § 652 (k) and 22 C.F.R. §§ 51.70 (a)(8), 51.…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Can Felons Travel Outside the US? What Countries You Can Visit, Nebraska Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator, Georgia Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator

§ 664Collection of past-due support from Federal tax refundsIn force

Upon receiving notice from a State agency administering a plan approved under this part that a named individual owes past-due support which has been assigned to such State pursuant to section 608(a)(3) or section 671(a)(17) of this title, the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine whether any amounts, as refunds of Federal taxes paid, are payable to such individual (regardless of whether such individual filed a tax return as a married or unmarried individual). If the Secretary of the Treasury finds that any such amount is payable, he shall withhold from such refunds an amount equal to the past-due support, shall concurrently send notice to such individual that the withholding has been made (including in or with such notice a notification to any other person who may have filed a joint return with such individual of the steps which such other person may take in order to secure his or her proper share of the refund), and shall pay such amount to the State agency (together with notice of the individual’s home address) for distribution in accordance with section 657 of this title. This subsection may be executed by the disbursing official of the Department of the Treasury.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 92 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Sorenson v. Secretary of the Treasury (Supreme Court of the United States 1986, 475 U.S. 851)“…st, OBRA § 2331(a) added § 464 to the Social Security Act, 42 U. S. C. § 664 . That section directs the Secretaries…”
Doucette v. Ives (Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1991, 947 F.2d 21)“…deral tax refund intercept statute. 26 U.S.C. § 6402 (c), 42 U.S.C. § 664 (a)(1). Section 664 permits the federal…”
Nelson v. Regan (District Court, D. Connecticut 1983, 560 F. Supp. 1101)“…2331 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, in 42 U.S.C. § 664 , 26 U.S.C. *1106 § 6402…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

§ 666Requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcementIn force

In order to satisfy section 654(20)(A) of this title, each State must have in effect laws requiring the use of the following procedures, consistent with this section and with regulations of the Secretary, to increase the effectiveness of the program which the State administers under this part: Procedures described in subsection (b) for the withholding from income of amounts payable as support in cases subject to enforcement under the State plan. Procedures under which the income of a person with a support obligation imposed by a support order issued (or modified) in the State before January 1, 1994, if not otherwise subject to withholding under subsection (b), shall become subject to withholding as provided in subsection (b) if arrearages occur, without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing. Expedited administrative and judicial procedures (including the procedures specified in subsection (c)) for establishing paternity and for establishing, modifying, and enforcing support obligations.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 458 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Clark v. Jeter (Supreme Court of the United States 1988, 486 U.S. 456)“…any child who is less than 18 years old. 98 Stat. 1307 , 42 U. S. C. §666 (a)(5) (1982 ed., Supp. IV). The Superi…”
Doucette v. Ives (Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1991, 947 F.2d 21)“…support payments, including a state tax refund intercept, 42 U.S.C. § 666 (a)(3)(A), liens against personal and r…”
Sheils v. Bucks County Domestic Relations Section (District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania 2013, 921 F. Supp. 2d 396)“…at Congress has not.” Thus, our inquiry here must focus on 42 U.S.C. § 666 , the enabling statute for § 303.101.…”