North Carolina Child Support Calculator

How North Carolina Calculates Child Support

North Carolina determines child support using the Income Shares Model, the standard set out in NCGS § 50-13.4. Under this model, the incomes of both parents are combined to estimate what they would have spent on the children if the family were intact, and that total obligation is then divided between them in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income.

The calculator above applies that formula to the income and expense figures you enter and shows each step of the math, so you can see exactly how the estimate is built. Because every order ultimately runs through a judge, the guideline figure is a starting point rather than a guaranteed result — the sections below explain what goes into it and where real orders can differ.

Key Rules Behind the North Carolina Formula

• North Carolina's guidelines run on GROSS income: income taxes and FICA are never subtracted before the schedule is applied (they are already built into the schedule amounts). Enter income before taxes.
• North Carolina uses the Income Shares model under NCGS § 50-13.4, combining both parents' adjusted gross incomes to determine the basic child support obligation.
• NC provides three worksheets: Worksheet A for sole physical custody, Worksheet B for joint (shared) physical custody, and Worksheet C for split custody (children divided between parents).
• Shared custody (Worksheet B) applies when each parent has at least 123 overnights per year with the children. Under shared custody, each parent's obligation is calculated separately and offset.
• Health insurance premiums and work-related childcare costs are added to the basic obligation and divided proportionally between parents.
• North Carolina's guidelines cover combined monthly gross income up to $30,000. For combined income above this amount, the court applies the $30,000 table amount plus discretion for the excess.
• Courts may deviate from the guidelines upon finding that application would be inequitable, considering factors such as extraordinary expenses, educational needs, and special medical needs.
• Gross income includes wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, Social Security, and workers' compensation benefits.

What Counts as Income

Child support guidelines are built on each parent's income, so the figure you enter matters more than any other input. Most states start from a broad definition of gross income that includes wages, salary, tips, commissions, bonuses, self-employment earnings, and many forms of government benefits, then subtract specific deductions to reach the income the formula actually uses.

North Carolina's rules under NCGS § 50-13.4 spell out which deductions apply and whether the formula runs on gross or net income. The calculator's field labels tell you which figure to enter; when in doubt, use your most recent pay stubs and tax return, and confirm the details in the North Carolina child support laws guide.

How to Establish a Child Support Order in North Carolina

A child support obligation becomes enforceable only once a court or the state child support agency issues an order. Either parent can request one, and in North Carolina, as in every state, the local child support agency that operates under the federal Title IV-D program can open a case, locate the other parent, establish paternity if needed, and ask the court to set support using the guideline formula.

When you apply, expect to provide proof of income for both parents, the child's information, and details about health insurance and childcare costs — the same inputs this calculator uses. Running your numbers here first gives you a realistic idea of the order amount before you file.