Louisiana does not set a fixed dollar amount for child support

Louisiana child support is calculated using a formula, not a flat rate. The amount depends on both parents' gross monthly income, the custody arrangement, and how much time the child spends with each parent. Two families with one child will almost never pay the same amount.

The state uses what is called the income shares model. This means the court adds both parents' incomes together, looks up a combined amount in a guideline table, then divides that obligation between the parents based on their individual income percentages. The parent without primary custody typically pays the other parent.

Louisiana law requires courts to follow these guidelines unless both parents agree to a different amount in writing, or the judge finds the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate given the specific circumstances of the case.

Key Takeaways

  • Child support in Louisiana is calculated from both parents' gross monthly income using a state formula, not a set dollar amount.
  • The guideline table shows combined parental income levels and corresponding support amounts; your share depends on what percentage of the combined income you earn.
  • Custody time matters: if you have the child 50 percent of the time, your obligation is lower than if you have them 10 percent of the time.
  • The paying parent is usually the one without primary custody, but if both parents earn similar incomes and share custody equally, the higher earner may still owe support.
  • You can request a modification if either parent's income changes by 10 percent or more, or if custody time changes significantly.

How the Louisiana guideline table works

Louisiana publishes an official child support guideline table that shows support amounts for different combined parental income levels. The table is updated periodically. For one child, the guideline amount increases as combined parental income rises.

For example, if both parents' gross monthly income combined is $2,000, the guideline obligation for one child is one amount. If combined income is $4,000, the obligation is higher. The table continues up through higher income brackets.

Once the court determines the total guideline obligation for one child, it splits that amount between the parents based on their income ratio. If one parent earns 70 percent of the combined income and the other earns 30 percent, the higher earner pays 70 percent of the guideline obligation.

The paying parent then receives a credit for any time the child lives with them. If you have the child 30 percent of the time, your support obligation is reduced by 30 percent. If you have them 50 percent of the time, the reduction is 50 percent.

What counts as income for child support

Gross monthly income includes wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, rental income, Social Security benefits, unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, disability payments, and interest or dividend income. It is the income before taxes and deductions.

Income does not include means-tested public benefits like TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or SNAP (food stamps). It also does not include child support you receive from another child's other parent, or spousal support you receive.

If you are self-employed, the court uses your net self-employment income (after business expenses) averaged over the past three years, unless recent circumstances show a significant change.

If you are unemployed or underemployed, the court may assign you income based on your earning capacity — what you could reasonably earn given your age, education, work history, and local job market — rather than what you currently earn. This prevents a parent from deliberately reducing income to lower their support obligation.

How custody time affects the amount you pay

The more time your child spends with you, the lower your child support obligation becomes. Louisiana recognizes that when you have the child in your home, you are directly spending money on their food, utilities, and care.

If you have primary custody (the child lives with you most of the time), the other parent pays you. If custody is split roughly equally, both parents' obligations are reduced significantly, and the higher earner typically pays the lower earner the difference.

Custody time is measured as the number of days per year the child is in your physical care. If you have the child every other weekend plus one weeknight, that is roughly 30 percent of the time. If you have them half the week and half the week with the other parent, that is 50 percent.

The court uses the actual custody schedule or, if no formal order exists, the schedule the parents have been following. If the schedule changes — for example, a parent gets a new job with different hours — either parent can request a modification based on the changed circumstances.

When the court can order an amount different from the guideline

Louisiana law allows a judge to deviate from the guideline amount if following it would be unjust or inappropriate. The judge must state in writing why the guideline amount is not being used.

Reasons for deviation include: one parent has significantly higher income than the guideline table accounts for; the child has special needs requiring additional expenses; one parent is paying support for other children from other relationships; one parent has unusually high work-related childcare costs; or the child spends substantial time with both parents in a way the guideline does not fully capture.

Both parents can also agree in writing to a different amount than the guideline. The agreement must be signed by both parents and approved by the court. Even if you agree to pay less than the guideline amount, the court may reject the agreement if it appears the child's needs would not be met.

How to request a modification if circumstances change

If either parent's income changes by 10 percent or more, or if custody time changes significantly, either parent can file a motion to modify child support in the district court that issued the original order.

You will need to provide recent pay stubs, tax returns, or other income documentation showing the change. If custody has changed, you will need to show the new schedule — either a written agreement or evidence of how the child's time has actually been divided.

The court will recalculate the obligation using the new income and custody figures. The modification typically takes effect on the date you file the motion, though the judge has discretion to make it effective on a different date.

If you cannot afford to pay the current amount and your income has dropped, filing a modification request protects you from accumulating arrears (back payments) at the old rate while waiting for a hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I make a lot more money than the guideline table shows?

Louisiana's guideline table has an upper income limit. If both parents' combined income exceeds that limit, the court must still calculate support, but it has discretion in how to apply the guideline. The judge may use the guideline formula at the highest table amount, or may deviate based on the actual income and the child's reasonable needs and the parents' standard of living.

Does child support change when the child turns 18?

Child support continues until the child turns 18 and graduates from high school, or until age 19 if the child is still in high school. If the child is emancipated earlier (legally declared an adult), support ends. If the child attends college, Louisiana does not require parents to pay for college expenses unless the parents agree or the court orders it as part of the support order.

What happens if I lose my job?

You should file a modification request immediately. If you wait and accumulate unpaid support, you may owe arrears even if your income was temporarily zero. The court will not retroactively reduce support for months you did not pay. Document your job loss and any unemployment benefits you receive, and show the court your efforts to find new work.

Can child support be enforced if the paying parent lives in another state?

Yes. Louisiana is part of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). If the paying parent moves to another state, Louisiana can send the order to that state for enforcement. The other state will enforce Louisiana's order as if it were their own. You can contact the Louisiana Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, to initiate interstate enforcement.

What if both parents have equal income and equal custody time?

If both parents earn the same amount and have the child exactly 50 percent of the time, the guideline obligation is typically zero or very close to zero, because each parent's obligation is reduced by 50 percent and their income percentages are equal. However, the court may still order one parent to pay a nominal amount or to cover specific expenses like health insurance or childcare.