How Tennessee Calculates Child Support for One Child

Tennessee does not set a fixed dollar amount for child support — the court calculates it based on both parents' income, custody arrangement, and other factors specific to your case

Tennessee uses a income shares model, which means the court adds both parents' incomes together, finds what percentage of that total each parent earns, and assigns each parent a proportional share of the child's expenses. The result is different for every family. A parent earning $30,000 a year with one child will pay a different amount than a parent earning $60,000 with one child — and both amounts will differ from what someone in a different custody arrangement pays.

The court starts with the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines, a table that shows the basic child support obligation for combined parental income. For one child, that obligation ranges from roughly $200 to $400 per month at lower income levels, but the table extends to much higher incomes. However, this is only the starting point. The court then adjusts for health insurance, daycare costs, and which parent has primary custody.

If you are trying to estimate what you or the other parent might owe, you need three pieces of information: both parents' gross monthly income, the custody arrangement (sole custody, joint custody, or visitation-only), and whether either parent pays for the child's health insurance or daycare. Without those details, no number is meaningful.

Key Takeaways

• Tennessee calculates child support by combining both parents' incomes and assigning each parent a percentage of the child's basic expenses based on their earnings.
• The court uses a published guideline table, but the final amount depends on custody arrangement, health insurance costs, and daycare expenses — not income alone.
• You can request a child support calculation through the Tennessee Department of Human Services or ask the court to order one during a custody or divorce case.
• If circumstances change significantly — job loss, custody change, or a new child — either parent can ask the court to modify the order.

How the Tennessee Guidelines Table Works

The Tennessee Child Support Guidelines publish a table that shows the basic monthly obligation for one child at different combined income levels. The table starts at combined income of $1,000 per month and goes up to $7,500 per month or more. For combined income between $1,000 and $2,000, the basic obligation for one child is roughly $200 to $250 per month. At $3,000 combined income, it rises to around $350 to $400. At $5,000 combined income, it reaches $600 to $700.

The exact figures in the table change periodically, and you can find the current version on the Tennessee Department of Human Services website or through your local child support office. The table assumes both parents share custody roughly equally. If one parent has primary custody and the other has visitation only, the calculation shifts — the non-custodial parent typically pays more because they are not covering the child's daily expenses.

Once you know the basic obligation from the table, the court adds or subtracts for specific costs. If one parent pays for health insurance, that cost is divided between the parents based on their income percentages. If one parent pays for daycare so the other can work, that cost is also divided. These adjustments can raise or lower the final number significantly.

What Income Counts Toward Child Support

Tennessee counts gross income for child support purposes, not take-home pay. Gross income includes wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, rental income, Social Security benefits, unemployment benefits, and workers' compensation. It does not include means-tested benefits like TANF (Temporary information for Needy Families) or SNAP (food information).

If you are self-employed, the court looks at your net self-employment income — total revenue minus ordinary business expenses, but not depreciation or capital expenses. If you own a business, you may need to provide tax returns and business records to prove your actual income. The court can also consider income you could earn if you are voluntarily underemployed — for example, if you quit a job to avoid child support, the court may calculate support based on your previous earnings.

Income from a new spouse or partner does not count toward your child support obligation. Only your own income matters. However, if you have other children from a previous relationship, the court may reduce your obligation to account for support you already pay.

How Custody Arrangement Changes the Amount

The custody arrangement — who the child lives with most of the time — significantly affects the calculation. If one parent has primary custody and the other has visitation only, the non-custodial parent pays support to the custodial parent. If both parents share custody roughly equally (called joint custody or shared parenting), the calculation is different: each parent pays their percentage of the basic obligation, but the parent with lower income may owe little or nothing if the other parent's income is much higher.

If the non-custodial parent has the child overnight more than 110 days per year, Tennessee treats this as significant parenting time and may reduce the support obligation. The more overnights, the lower the obligation, because the non-custodial parent is covering more of the child's expenses directly. If a parent has the child 50% of the time, the calculation becomes nearly equal — each parent pays their share of the basic obligation, and the higher-earning parent may owe the difference to the lower-earning parent.

Changes in custody are one of the most common reasons child support orders are modified. If custody shifts from one parent to the other, either parent can ask the court to recalculate support.

Health Insurance and Daycare Costs

Health insurance premiums for the child are divided between parents based on their income percentages. If one parent's employer covers the child at a cost of $100 per month, and that parent earns 60% of the combined income, the other parent pays 40% of that $100 — roughly $40 per month — as part of child support. The court adds this to the basic obligation.

Daycare costs are treated the same way. If one parent pays $800 per month for daycare so the other parent can work, the court divides that $800 between the parents by income percentage and adds each parent's share to their basic obligation. This means daycare costs can significantly increase the final support amount, especially if one parent earns much less than the other.

Uninsured medical expenses for the child — copays, prescriptions, dental work, therapy — are typically split 50/50 between parents or divided by income percentage, depending on the court order. This is separate from the monthly child support payment.

Requesting a Child Support Calculation

If you are in a divorce or custody case, you can ask the court to order child support. The court will require both parents to complete a Child Support Worksheet, which lists income, custody time, health insurance costs, and daycare expenses. Both parents must provide recent pay stubs, tax returns, and proof of any other income. The judge then uses this information to calculate the obligation and enter an order.

If you are not in a court case but need child support, you can contact your local Child Support Services office (run by the Tennessee Department of Human Services). They can help establish paternity if needed and work with both parents to reach an agreement or ask the court to set an amount. This process is free. You can also hire a family law attorney to represent you, though this costs money.

Once an order is in place, it is enforceable. If the paying parent falls behind, the receiving parent can ask the court to enforce it through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, or other collection methods. If circumstances change — job loss, custody change, new child — either parent can ask the court to modify the order.

Modifying Child Support if Circumstances Change

A child support order is not permanent. Either parent can ask the court to change it if there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances. This usually means a significant change in income (job loss, promotion, new job), a change in custody, or a new child born to the paying parent.

In Tennessee, if more than three years have passed since the order was entered, either parent can ask for a review and modification even without a change in circumstances — the court will recalculate based on current income and the current guidelines table. If less than three years have passed, you must show that circumstances have changed.

To request a modification, you file a motion with the court that entered the original order, or you can ask the Child Support Services office to help. The process is similar to the original calculation: both parents provide current income information, and the court recalculates the obligation. If the new amount is significantly different from the old amount, the court will enter a new order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find out what I would owe before going to court?

Yes. The Tennessee Department of Human Services publishes the current Child Support Guidelines table online, and you can use it to estimate a range. However, the estimate will only be accurate if you know both parents' exact gross income, the custody arrangement, and the cost of health insurance and daycare. For a precise number, you need a court calculation or a Child Support Services review.

What if the other parent refuses to provide income information?

If the other parent does not provide pay stubs or tax returns, the court can order them to do so. If they still refuse, the judge may estimate their income based on available evidence or assign them a higher income as a penalty for not cooperating. You can ask the court to hold them in contempt.

Does child support cover college expenses?

No. Tennessee child support orders typically end when the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever is later. College expenses are not included in the standard calculation. However, parents can agree to pay for college, and the court can order it in some cases — you would need to ask the judge or negotiate with the other parent.

What if I have a second child after the first order?

A new child can reduce your child support obligation for the first child. The court will recalculate your income share based on the fact that you now have two children to support. You must file a modification request and provide proof of the new child's birth. The reduction is not automatic.

Can child support be waived or forgiven?

Parents can agree in writing to a different amount or to waive support entirely, but the court must approve the agreement. The judge will not approve a waiver if it appears the child would suffer or if one parent is being pressured. If you and the other parent reach an agreement, put it in writing and ask the court to enter it as an order.