Texas Child Support

Requesting Child Support

The Texas Child Support Calculator is a useful tool to help custodial and non-custodial parents figure out how much child support is appropriate. However, it is up to the local court in your county to determine the proper amount for child support. Once a parent requests child support, the court will come up with its own calculations and issue the child support order.

Calculating Your Child Support

Before the court will calculate your Texas child support payments, the court will consider the following information:

• Total gross income of both parents (This includes tips, bonuses, rental or investment income, lottery winnings, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, workers’ compensation, dividends, Social Security, and pension benefits.)
• Spousal support paid or received
• Court-ordered child support for children of other relationships
• Health insurance costs
• Childcare expenses
• Extra education expense
• Court-ordered arrears paid by the non-custodial parent

Modifying Your Child Support Order

The only way to modify your existing Texas child support order is to return to court and specifically request a modification. The parents cannot decide between themselves that they will modify the child support payments. If the parents decide between themselves that they wish to modify the child support payments, they must submit a stipulation to the court. The court must then approve the stipulation and issue the order modifying the child support.

Either the custodial parent or the non-custodial parent may request a modification, but there must be a material and substantial change in circumstances. This means there is:

• A change in the custody of a child
• A raise or cut in the income of either parent
• Obligation of either parent to support other dependants such as children or elderly parents
• Additional unexpected medical or educational expenses

If there is only a minor change in circumstances, such as one parent being between jobs, the court may be unlikely to modify the child support order. Or, the court may order a temporary modification.

Terminating Child Support

Texas child support laws state that both parents are required to provide support for their child until he/she turns 18 and graduates from high school, turns 19, dies, or is emancipated--whichever occurs first.

However, if your child suffers from a severe disability, then you may continue to receive or pay child support even after the child has reached the age of 18 or 19. If your child will continue to be dependant after age 18 or 19, you may return to court and formally request that the court issue an order to continue child support payments.

Enforcing the Child Support Order

To get your child support order enforced in Texas, go to your county Legal Division of Domestic Relations and fill out an Enforcement Application Form and Affidavit of Direct Payment Form. The attorneys and enforcement officers will enforce the court’s child support order by:

• Suspending driver's licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, and professional licenses
• Incarceration
• Direct payroll withholding

Once you have applied for enforcement services through your local county government, there will be an immediate demand upon the delinquent parent to pay the child support obligation.

Collecting Your Child Support Payments

If the parent that is supposed to pay child support is self-employed, works for cash, or is not employed, it will take much longer for the state of Texas to enforce the child support order. In that situation, you have a better chance of enforcing the child support order by hiring a private collection company. These companies will retain a small percentage of the child support payment as their fee.

Useful Contact Information

• Local Child Support Field Offices
• To receive an application for Texas child support services, call toll-free (800)252-8014.
• Automated Payment and Case Information: (800) 252-8014.
• Child Support State Office: (512) 460-6000.
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, please call the Deaf Outreach Program at (800)572-2686 (TDD/TTY), or (512) 460-6417 (TDD/TTY).