How Kansas Calculates Child Support
Kansas uses the Income Shares model for child support. The governing law is Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 23-3002, along with the Kansas Child Support Guidelines maintained by the Kansas Judicial Council. The guidelines are reviewed periodically to reflect current economic data on what families at various income levels actually spend raising children.
The Income Shares model in Kansas combines both parents' gross monthly incomes to determine the total monthly child-rearing cost. Each parent then contributes their proportional share. The parent with less parenting time pays their share to the parent with more parenting time.
The Kansas Child Support Formula
Kansas follows four clear steps.
Step one is determining each parent's monthly gross income. Step two is combining those incomes to produce the combined gross monthly income. Step three is finding the Basic Child Support Obligation in Kansas's schedule using the combined income and number of children. Step four is calculating each parent's income share percentage and applying it to the obligation.
A practical example: Parent A earns $4,500 per month. Parent B earns $2,500 per month. Combined income is $7,000. Parent A's income share is 64.3 percent. Parent B's income share is 35.7 percent. If Kansas's schedule sets the obligation at $1,250 for two children at $7,000 combined income, Parent A's base obligation is $804 per month before add-ons and parenting time adjustments.
When combined parental income exceeds the top of Kansas's schedule, courts use the maximum schedule amount as a floor and may order additional support based on the children's demonstrated needs and each parent's financial resources.
What Counts as Income in Kansas
Kansas courts include wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime, self-employment income, rental income, pension and retirement distributions, Social Security benefits, SSDI payments, unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, and income from any other regular source.
Self-employed parents in Kansas should note that courts typically add back one-half of self-employment taxes to income. Self-employed individuals pay both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare. Adding back the employer's share places them on equal footing with wage earners in the formula.
Courts can impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. Kansas courts examine historical earnings, education, and the local job market when determining the appropriate imputed income level.
Step-by-Step: How to Use This Calculator
Step 1. Get your gross monthly income. Include wages, self-employment income, rental income, and any other regular income. If you are self-employed, add back one-half of your self-employment taxes to arrive at the figure Kansas courts would use.
Step 2. Subtract existing court-ordered child support payments you are currently paying for children from other relationships. Kansas adjusts for prior support orders before combining incomes.
Step 3. Estimate the other parent's gross monthly income using the same approach.
Step 4. Enter the number of children covered by this order.
Step 5. Enter your parenting time percentage. Count actual overnights per year and divide by 365. Kansas applies a credit for significant parenting time that scales as overnights increase.
Step 6. Add healthcare costs. Enter the monthly premium for the children's health insurance only, not the employee-only portion of the policy.
Step 7. Add childcare costs. Enter monthly work-related childcare expenses.
Step 8. Review the full breakdown before accepting the result.
Parenting Time Adjustments in Kansas
Kansas applies a parenting time adjustment that scales with the paying parent's actual overnights per year. The adjustment reflects the direct costs that parent incurs during their time with the children, meals, clothing, activities, and daily needs that come out of their own pocket.
At standard visitation levels, every other weekend plus holidays, the credit is minimal. As overnights increase toward equal parenting time, the credit grows proportionally. Kansas's guidelines include a parenting time schedule that maps overnight counts to specific credit amounts. At near-equal parenting time, both parents' obligations are calculated and the higher earner pays the net difference to the lower earner.
Kansas also considers transportation costs for parenting time in cases where travel distances are substantial. Long-distance custody arrangements may result in an adjustment to account for those costs.
Add-On Expenses in Kansas
Kansas adds healthcare premiums and work-related childcare costs to the base obligation, allocated proportionally by income share. Courts may also address extraordinary medical expenses and educational costs on a case-by-case basis.
Reading Your Results
The results display shows combined gross income, the Basic Child Support Obligation from Kansas's schedule, each parent's income share, the parenting time credit applied, add-on costs, and the final monthly obligation.
If you are self-employed, confirm your income entry reflects the Kansas adjustment for self-employment taxes. Entering net profit without that adjustment produces a lower estimate than what a Kansas court would likely order.
After You Get Your Estimate
Kansas courts follow the guidelines in all standard cases. Deviation is permitted when the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate. Courts consider the child's needs, each parent's financial resources, and any special circumstances.
Modification in Kansas requires a material change in circumstances. A change of 10 percent or more in the calculated obligation is a commonly applied benchmark. Income changes, custody shifts, and changes in the children's needs are the most common grounds. Either parent can request a review when their situation has genuinely changed.
A licensed Kansas family law attorney can review your calculation and advise on deviations or modifications. Many offer a free first consultation.