South Carolina Child Support Calculator

South Carolina uses the income shares model under S.C. Code § 63-17-470, which combines both parents' gross monthly incomes and applies a schedule-based lookup table. The total basic support obligation is then divided between parents proportionally based on each parent's percentage of combined income. The 2024 updated guidelines cover combined gross incomes from $750 to $40,000 per month, with obligations ranging from $100 to $7,290.

South Carolina courts use each parent's actual gross income, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, pensions, and rental income. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income based on earning history, job skills, education, and local job market conditions. TANF, food stamps, and SSI are excluded, but other public benefits may be counted.

South Carolina applies a shared custody adjustment when each parent has at least 110 overnights per year with the child, which represents roughly 30% of the year. This threshold triggers a formula modification that reduces the non-custodial parent's obligation to reflect the increased direct spending during their parenting time. Below 110 overnights, the standard calculation applies without adjustment.

South Carolina allows child support modification when a parent demonstrates a substantial change in circumstances, such as job loss, significant income change, or a shift in custody arrangements. Under § 63-17-470, the existing guideline amount carries a rebuttable presumption of correctness, so the requesting parent must present evidence justifying a different amount. Either parent may petition the Family Court for a review.

Beyond the base obligation from the income schedule, South Carolina adds adjustments for work-related childcare costs, health insurance premiums for the child, and extraordinary medical expenses exceeding $250 per year per child. Under S.C. Code § 63-5-30, both parents share responsibility for healthcare needs. These additional costs are divided proportionally based on each parent's share of combined income.

South Carolina's 2024 guidelines cover combined gross incomes from $750 to $40,000 per month, with basic obligations ranging from $100 to $7,290. The self-support reserve of $748 per month protects low-income obligors from orders that would push them below subsistence level. For combined incomes above $40,000 per month, the court exercises judicial discretion to set an appropriate support amount.

Child support in South Carolina typically ends when the child turns 18 years old. However, if the child is still enrolled in high school at age 18, support continues until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. Courts may extend support beyond these limits if the child has a physical or mental disability that prevents financial independence.

South Carolina enforces child support through the Department of Social Services, which can intercept tax refunds, suspend driver's licenses, garnish wages, and place liens on property. The court may also hold a non-paying parent in contempt, which can result in fines or jail time. Unpaid child support accrues as a judgment and cannot be retroactively reduced, even through bankruptcy.