How Arkansas Calculates Child Support
Arkansas uses the Income Shares model for child support. Administrative Order Number 10 of the Arkansas Supreme Court, along with Arkansas Code Section 9-12-312, governs how courts calculate child support in the state. The guidelines were updated most recently to reflect current economic data on child-rearing costs.
The Income Shares model in Arkansas centers on the same fundamental principle used across 41 states: both parents are financially responsible for their children, and that responsibility is shared in proportion to each parent's income. Arkansas uses a Family Support Chart — a table published by the state Supreme Court — to determine the total monthly obligation based on combined income and the number of children.
The Arkansas Child Support Formula
Arkansas follows a straightforward four-step calculation.
Step one is determining each parent's gross monthly income. Step two is adding both gross monthly incomes together to produce the combined gross monthly income. Step three is looking up the total monthly child support obligation in the Arkansas Family Support Chart using the combined income and number of children. Step four is calculating each parent's income percentage and applying it to the total obligation to determine their individual share.
The parent with less parenting time pays their share to the parent with more parenting time. If Parent A earns 60 percent of the combined income and Parent B earns 40 percent, Parent A pays 60 percent of the total obligation. The chart determines what that total obligation is at their combined income level.
For example: Parent A earns $3,500 per month. Parent B earns $2,000 per month. Combined income is $5,500. Parent A's income share is approximately 64%. If the Family Support Chart shows a total obligation of $950 for one child at $5,500 combined income, Parent A's base obligation is $608 per month.
What Counts as Income in Arkansas
Arkansas courts include a broad range of income types. Wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime, self-employment income, rental income, pension and retirement distributions, Social Security benefits, SSDI and SSI payments, unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, trust income, and income from any other regular source all count.
If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or earning less than they are capable of earning, an Arkansas court can impute income. The court considers the parent's work history, qualifications, and local employment opportunities. Courts want to prevent a parent from avoiding their financial responsibility to their children by choosing to earn less.
Arkansas also counts in-kind income when it substantially reduces living expenses. Room and board provided by an employer, for example, may be factored into the income calculation.
Step-by-Step: How to Use This Calculator
Step 1 — Gather your gross monthly income. Gross means before taxes, before health insurance deductions, and before retirement contributions. If you are paid weekly, multiply by 52 and divide by 12. If you are paid bi-weekly, multiply by 26 and divide by 12.
Step 2 — Gather the other parent's gross monthly income. If you are unsure of the exact amount, use a reasonable estimate. Courts will request pay stubs and tax returns to verify income during formal proceedings.
Step 3 — Select the number of children this order will cover.
Step 4 — Enter your parenting time. Count your actual overnight stays per year and enter the percentage. Standard every-other-weekend visitation is roughly 14 percent. Equal parenting time is 50 percent.
Step 5 — Enter healthcare costs. Enter the monthly portion of the health insurance premium that covers the children. Ask your HR department for a breakdown of the employee-only premium versus the employee-plus-child premium if you are unsure.
Step 6 — Enter childcare costs. Enter monthly work-related childcare costs. These are expenses that allow each parent to work or pursue employment.
Step 7 — Run the calculation and review each line of the breakdown.
Parenting Time Adjustments in Arkansas
Arkansas uses a specific threshold for parenting time adjustments. When the non-custodial parent has more than 109 overnights per year — approximately 30 percent of the year — the court applies a parenting time credit.
At the standard visitation level (every other weekend plus some holidays, roughly 52 to 70 overnights per year), no credit applies. As overnights climb past the 109-night threshold, the credit reduces the base obligation to account for the direct spending both parents make during their time with the children.
This matters significantly in contested custody situations. If parenting time is close to the 109-night threshold, negotiating or modifying the custody schedule by even a few nights per year can change whether a credit applies.
At 50/50 parenting time with equal incomes, the formula typically produces a minimal or zero obligation. With significantly different incomes, even an equal split of overnights results in a net payment from the higher earner to the lower earner.
Add-On Expenses in Arkansas
Arkansas adds healthcare premiums and work-related childcare to the base obligation. These are allocated proportionally by income, not split equally. Courts may also address extraordinary medical expenses, educational costs, and other necessary expenses for the children on a case-by-case basis.
When one parent carries health insurance for the children, that parent receives a credit within the formula. This reduces the net amount they owe rather than treating the insurance premium as a separate expense.
Reading Your Results
Your results will display the combined gross monthly income, the total obligation from the Arkansas Family Support Chart, each parent's income share percentage, the parenting time adjustment if applicable, add-on costs, and the final net monthly payment.
Confirm that your income percentage looks proportionally correct compared to the other parent's income. If the percentages seem off, recheck your gross income entries. A common error is entering net (take-home) pay instead of gross income, which will produce a lower estimate than what a court would order.
After You Get Your Estimate
Arkansas courts follow Administrative Order Number 10 in the great majority of cases. Deviations are permitted but require written justification. Grounds for deviation include an unusually low or high combined income, a child with extraordinary medical or educational needs, significant debt obligations that affect a parent's ability to pay, or the specific terms of a custody arrangement.
Arkansas allows modification when there has been a material change in circumstances. The state generally requires a 20 percent or more change in the calculated obligation for modification to be granted. If your income has changed by that margin, if parenting time has shifted significantly, or if new expenses have emerged for the children, it is worth running a new calculation and consulting an attorney about whether to file.
Reach out to a licensed Arkansas family law attorney — many offer a free first call to help you understand your options.