Real cost vs. guideline design
How each state builds its child-support guideline — from the measured cost of raising a child, or from a flat percentage of income — and whether equal-income 50/50 placement produces any support. Search and filter the states below. General information, not legal advice.
Loading state data…
Two related questions, answered honestly
Can parents agree privately (stipulate)? In every state parents may submit a stipulated support amount, but a judge must approve it against the child's best interest, and most states will not approve an amount below the guideline without specific findings — so a private agreement is allowed, not guaranteed. The exact latitude varies by state and is set by each state's deviation rule; BMD does not tag this per state unless it is verified from that state's own statute.
Is support only for an "absent" parent? No U.S. state limits child support to a literally absent parent — support can be ordered in any custody arrangement. What varies is the math: in the income-leveling (income-shares) states above, equal incomes at 50/50 net to about $0, so support effectively flows only when there is a real income or time imbalance. The "Support at equal-income 50/50?" column is the closest verified proxy for that idea.
Model classifications follow the NCSL guideline-model taxonomy; the 50/50 column reflects each state's income-leveling design, not a case prediction. Estimates and general information only — not legal advice. Your court order controls.