Connecticut Child Support Calculator

Estimate Connecticut child support for 2026 using the Income Shares guideline model under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215a; Conn. Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines (Reg. § 46b-215a-1 et seq.). Enter both parents' incomes and the parenting-time split to see what you may owe or receive.

Connecticut follows the Income Shares model under the Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215a). The court combines both parents' monthly gross incomes, looks up the basic support obligation on the state's guideline schedule for that income level and number of children, then prorates the obligation between the parents according to each parent's percentage share of the combined income.

Connecticut treats parenting time as a deviation factor rather than a built-in slider in the base formula. The guideline number starts from both parents' combined net weekly income, and the standard order assumes one parent is the primary custodial parent. When parents share physical custody or one parent has substantial parenting time, a judge can deviate from the presumptive amount under Reg. § 46b-215a-3. The deviation is not automatic, so a parent who wants overnights to change the number must raise it and the court must make written findings.

In Connecticut the cost of the child's medical and dental insurance is built into the guideline analysis. A parent's payment for the child's coverage is one of the allowable deductions used to figure net weekly income, and the premium attributable to the children is shared between the parents in proportion to their income. Unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses for the child are also divided between the parents by their income percentages, separately from the basic support obligation.

Qualified, work-related child care costs are treated as an add-on in Connecticut, not as part of the basic support figure. Once the basic obligation is set from the guideline schedule, the court adds reasonable child care needed so a parent can work, and that cost is divided between the parents according to each parent's percentage share of combined net income. The child care must be necessary and documented to be counted, so keep records of what daycare actually costs.

Connecticut judges start with the presumptive guideline amount, and a deviation must be justified on the record under Reg. § 46b-215a-3. Recognized reasons include shared physical custody, extraordinary expenses, low-income obligor protections, and other listed factors. The parent asking the court to move off the guideline number carries the burden of showing why the presumptive amount would be inequitable or inappropriate, and the judge must put the specific finding in writing. Without that written finding, the guideline number controls.

Frequently asked questions

How is child support calculated in Connecticut?

Connecticut uses the Income Shares model under the Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines and Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-215a. The court combines both parents' net weekly incomes, which is gross income from all sources reduced by allowable deductions, then looks up the basic support obligation on the state guideline schedule for that income level and number of children. That obligation is split between the parents by each parent's percentage share of the combined income, and the parent without primary custody pays their share. Our on-page calculator gives an estimate only. The official guideline worksheet and the court control the actual order.

Is there an official Connecticut child support worksheet I have to use?

Yes. Connecticut has an official Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines worksheet, and it is the controlling form for setting support. The guidelines are published by the Connecticut Bureau of Child Support Enforcement within the Department of Social Services and are available at portal.ct.gov/dss/child-support. The worksheet walks through each parent's net weekly income, the basic obligation from the schedule, the income shares split, and add-ons like child care and medical costs. Any calculator you find online, including ours, is just an estimate. The completed worksheet filed with the court is what the judge relies on, so fill it out carefully.

What income counts when Connecticut figures support, and how are bonuses or self-employment handled?

Connecticut works from net weekly income, which is gross income from all sources reduced by allowable deductions for federal, state, and local taxes, mandatory union dues, mandatory retirement, the child's medical insurance premium, and existing support orders. Gross income from all sources is broad, so wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, and self-employment earnings can all be included. For self-employed parents, the court looks at actual income after legitimate business expenses, not just what shows on a tax return. Because the calculation starts from net income, two parents with the same gross pay can end up with different support numbers.

Does sharing custody 50/50 change child support in Connecticut?

Shared physical custody can change the number in Connecticut, but it does not happen automatically. The guideline still starts by combining both parents' net weekly incomes and applying the income shares split from the schedule. Shared physical custody is listed as a deviation factor under Reg. § 46b-215a-3, so a judge may move off the presumptive amount when parenting time is genuinely shared and the standard order would be unfair. The parent asking for that adjustment has to raise it, and the court must make a written finding explaining the deviation, otherwise the presumptive guideline amount stands.

When does child support end in Connecticut?

In Connecticut a regular support order normally ends when the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student and lives with a parent, support continues until graduation but not past age 19. Connecticut also allows separate educational support orders for college or other higher education, which a court can enter for a child up to age 23 under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-56c. Support does not stop on its own in every situation, so check the exact terms of your order and confirm the end date rather than assuming it terminates automatically.

When can I modify a Connecticut child support order?

You can ask to change a Connecticut order by filing a motion to modify in family court or by requesting a review through the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement. The usual test is a substantial change in circumstances, and Connecticut presumes that change when a new guideline calculation differs from the current order by at least 15 percent. That can happen after a job loss, a raise, a change in custody, or a change in child care or insurance costs. Modification is not retroactive to before you file, so if your situation has changed, file promptly rather than waiting.

How does Connecticut enforce child support and collect arrears?

The Connecticut Bureau of Child Support Enforcement has strong collection tools. Most orders include immediate income withholding straight from the paying parent's wages. The bureau can also intercept tax refunds, suspend driver's, professional, and recreational licenses, file liens, report the debt to credit bureaus, deny passports, and refer the case to family court for contempt. Past-due support, called arrears, keeps accruing until paid and does not simply disappear. If you are behind, contact the bureau at portal.ct.gov/dss/child-support early, because addressing arrears before enforcement escalates usually gives you more options.