Louisiana Child Support Calculator

Louisiana uses the Income Shares Model under La. R.S. 9:315, which combines both parents' adjusted gross incomes and applies a statutory schedule (R.S. 9:315.19) based on the number of children. Each parent pays their proportional share of the total obligation, which includes the basic amount plus child care, health insurance, and extraordinary medical expenses. The schedule covers combined monthly incomes from $0 to $40,000.

Louisiana uses adjusted gross income as defined in R.S. 9:315(C)(3), which includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income (gross receipts minus ordinary expenses), Social Security benefits, workers' compensation, disability, pensions, investment income, and recurring monetary gifts. Spousal support received is included as income. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income under R.S. 9:315.11.

Louisiana uses Worksheet A for sole or joint custody where one parent is domiciliary, and Worksheet B for shared custody with approximately equal parenting time. Worksheet B applies a 1.5× multiplier to the basic obligation and uses a cross-multiplication formula. In joint custody, if the nondomiciliary parent has physical custody for more than 73 days per year under R.S. 9:315.8(E), the court may grant a discretionary credit.

Louisiana allows child support modification when there is a material change in circumstances, such as a significant change in either parent's income, custody arrangement changes, or a child's evolving needs. Under R.S. 9:315.1, the court may also deviate from the guidelines if applying them would not serve the child's best interest. The court must state the guideline amount and specific reasons for any deviation.

Under R.S. 9:315.8, the total child support obligation adds net child care costs, health insurance premiums, extraordinary medical expenses, and other extraordinary expenses to the basic obligation from the schedule. The basic schedule amount already accounts for ordinary expenses like food, clothing, housing, and transportation. Each parent pays their proportional share of all added expenses based on their percentage of combined income.

The minimum basic child support obligation in Louisiana is $100 per month for one child at the lowest income bracket ($0–$950 combined monthly income) under R.S. 9:315.19. The schedule caps at $40,000 combined monthly adjusted gross income. For incomes above $40,000 per month, courts set support on a case-by-case basis but cannot award less than the highest schedule amount.

Louisiana child support terminates when the child turns 18 under R.S. 9:315.22. If the child is still attending secondary school at 18, support continues until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. For children with developmental disabilities who remain full-time secondary students, support may continue until age 22. Support for a child unable to work due to disability may continue indefinitely.

Louisiana enforces unpaid child support through multiple mechanisms under R.S. 9:315.40 and R.S. 9:315.41. Courts can order wage garnishment after one month of delinquency, intercept federal and state tax refunds, place liens on property, and suspend driver's, professional, and recreational licenses. A parent found in contempt of court faces fines up to $500, up to three months in jail, or both.