Texas Child Support Resources

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Texas sets child support with a written guideline, and the official worksheet is how the math gets shown to the judge. Both parents' income normally goes into the calculation, along with things like health insurance for the children and child care costs.

The official guideline materials for Texas are linked below, together with the verified support documents and the financial paperwork the court usually asks both sides to file. Our own calculator can give you a working estimate before you fill in the official worksheet.

Official Texas child support resources

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Texas child support guideline resources (texasattorneygeneral.gov): Official Texas child support guideline materials, worksheets, or calculators. https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/child-support/child-support-calculator

Texas financial affidavit and disclosure forms (texasattorneygeneral.gov): The official source for the financial disclosure paperwork most Texas family cases ask both sides to complete. https://www.txcourts.gov/programs-services/self-help/

Texas family law forms (official index) (Texas judicial branch): The official statewide collection of Texas family law forms. When a direct document link stops working, this index is where the current version lives. https://www.txcourts.gov/rules-forms/forms

Texas court self-help resources (Texas courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Texas family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.texaslawhelp.org

eFileTexas.gov (Tyler Technologies): Texas has one statewide e-filing system that works in every county, and people without lawyers are welcome to use it. E-filing is required for attorneys but optional for you, so paper filing with the district clerk also works. https://www.efiletexas.gov/

Verified official Texas support documents

These official documents are the worksheets and orders Texas uses to set and record child support.

Income Withholding for Support (IWO) (FM-IW-200), form FM-IW-200 (Child Support), official document: https://texaslawhelp.org/sites/default/files/fm-iw-200_income_withholding_order_english.pdf

Official link data for Texas was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.

Frequently asked questions

How is child support calculated in Texas?

Through the state's written guideline, applied on the official worksheet. The guideline uses income and a defined list of add-ons rather than a judge's rough guess, so filling the worksheet in honestly is the single most useful thing you can do. Open the official Texas guideline materials above for the exact method.

Can the court order a different amount than the guideline?

A judge can depart from the guideline in some situations, but the order normally has to explain why. Start from the guideline number and be ready to say plainly what makes your case different.

How much does it cost to file a family case in Texas?

Divorce filing fee: ~$250-$350 by county. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the clerk about a fee waiver or indigency application; every state has a process for requesting one.