How is child support calculated in NJ?

New Jersey uses the income-shares Child Support Guidelines (Court Rule 5:6A, Appendix IX). (1) Convert each parent’s income to weekly net income — gross minus taxes, mandatory retirement, union dues and existing support orders. (2) Add them and look up the basic award for the number of children in the Appendix IX-F schedule. (3) Add child care, the child’s health insurance and approved extraordinary expenses. (4) Each parent owes their percentage of combined income; the paying parent’s share, minus credits for parenting time and expenses they pay directly, is the order. Example: $85,000 and $55,000 salaries with 2 children and alternate weekends ≈ $261/week.

Is NJ child support based on gross or net income?

Net. New Jersey’s schedule uses combined net weekly income. Start with gross income, subtract federal, state and local income tax, Social Security, Medicare, mandatory retirement contributions, mandatory union dues and other child support orders. A $75,000 salary is about $1,135/week net for a single filer in 2026. Courts use the Appendix IX-H withholding tables or actual tax returns.

What changed in the NJ child support guidelines for 2026?

A new Appendix IX-F schedule took effect September 1, 2025 — the first update since 2013 — and raises most orders. One published example (2 children, 245/120 overnights, net incomes $1,045 and $2,007 a week) rose from $219 to $276 a week; this calculator reproduces the $276. The schedule now ends at $3,600 combined net weekly income. On January 1, 2026 the self-support reserve rose to $460/week, and the June 1, 2026 amendments updated the tax tables and poverty thresholds.

How do I read the NJ child support chart?

Find the row for combined net weekly income and read across to the number of children. Rows go up in $10 steps from $180 to $3,600; round to the nearest $10 ($446 uses the $450 row = $157 for one child; $444 uses $440 = $153). The chart amount is the total basic support for both parents — the paying parent owes only their income share of it.

If a man makes $120,000 a year, how much child support would he pay in New Jersey?

If the other parent has no income: about $392/week ($1,686/month) for one child and $445/week ($1,914/month) for two. If the other parent earns $40,000, two children ≈ $371/week. $120,000 gross is about $1,688/week net. Overnights, child care and health insurance change these numbers.

How much child support do I pay for 2 kids in NJ if I make $60,000?

About $250/week ($1,075/month) if the other parent earns $40,000 and you have no regular overnights; about $327/week if the other parent has no income. Alternate weekends (52 overnights) add a parenting-time credit of about $23/week — but when the primary household’s net income plus support is under $1,051/week (2 × the poverty guideline for 3 people), as here, that credit is up to the judge.

How much is child support for one child in NJ on a $45,000 salary?

About $193/week ($830/month) if the other parent earns $30,000, or $231/week if they earn nothing. Your own bills (rent, car, debts) are not deducted in the guidelines — only taxes, mandatory retirement, union dues and other support orders — unless the self-support reserve applies.

What is child support for two kids if the father earns $600 a week?

If $600 is gross pay and the mother has no income, net pay is about $515/week and the schedule gives $229/week for two children. If both parents work, the father pays only his percentage share of the combined-income amount.

What is the average child support for two children in New Jersey?

There is no official average, because each order depends on both incomes. As a benchmark, at a combined net income of $1,500/week (roughly $95,000–$100,000 gross between two parents) the 2025 schedule’s basic award is $420/week for two children and $369 for one; a parent earning 60% of the total would pay about $252/week for two before credits and add-ons.

What percentage of income is child support in NJ?

New Jersey does not use a flat percentage. The share of combined net income falls as income rises: one child is 34.4% of $500/week, 29.3% of $1,000 and 18.7% of $3,000; two children are 44.8%, 33.9% and 20.2%. The paying parent then owes their income share of that amount.

What is the minimum child support in NJ?

There is no fixed statewide minimum. If combined net income is under $180/week, or paying would leave the obligor below the $460/week self-support reserve, the court sets an amount between $5/week and the $180-row amount ($63 for one child, $125 for two). Example: a parent earning $27,000 (about $451/week net) with two children and an other parent earning $40,000 would owe $144 by the schedule, but the reserve cuts the order to $5/week.

Is there a cap on child support in New Jersey?

The schedule stops at $3,600 combined net weekly income (about $187,000 net a year). Above that, the $3,600 amount ($717 for one child, $719 for two) is the minimum basic award and the judge adds a discretionary amount under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23. Example: $300,000 and $150,000 salaries give at least $461/week for two children before that addition.

How does 50/50 custody affect child support in NJ?

With 28% or more overnights the shared-parenting worksheet applies: the parent with more time is credited for fixed (38%) and variable (37%) costs. At 182 overnights with $90,000 vs $60,000 salaries, the higher earner pays about $111/week for two children. If the primary parent earns more ($120,000 vs $50,000), the primary parent can owe support — $76/week in that example.

How many overnights reduce child support in NJ?

Any regular overnights can earn a parenting-time credit of 37% (variable costs) × overnight share × basic support under the sole-parenting worksheet. At 28% of overnights — about two nights a week, roughly 101+ of 365 — the shared-parenting worksheet applies and also credits fixed housing costs, which lowers support further. Both credits assume the primary household keeps at least 2 × the poverty guideline (net income plus support); below that, the shared worksheet is replaced by the sole one and the credit is discretionary. See the overnight table above.

What does child support cover in NJ?

The basic award covers the child’s share of housing, food, clothing, transportation, entertainment, miscellaneous items and up to $250 per child per year of unreimbursed medical costs. Work-related child care, the child’s health insurance, predictable medical costs above $250 a year and court-approved extraordinary expenses (special needs, some private school) are added on top.

How are child care and health insurance handled in NJ child support?

They are added to the basic award and shared by income. Child care is entered net of federal and NJ tax credits (Appendix IX-E). Health insurance counts only the cost of covering the child. A parent who pays these directly gets credit. Example: adding $150/week child care and $40/week insurance paid by the other parent changes $261 to $329/week.

What is the prorated (pro-rata) deduction in NJ child support?

“Pro rata” means each parent pays in proportion to their share of combined net income — the Line 7 percentage. If one parent already pays court-ordered support for other children, NJ runs the worksheet twice (with and without deducting that order) and averages the results. Example: a $100/week prior order changes $261 to $253/week.

Does a new partner’s income count for NJ child support?

No — a new spouse’s or partner’s income is not added to a parent’s income. It matters in only two places: the optional other-dependent deduction for a parent’s children in a new household (calculated from that parent’s and the current spouse’s incomes), and the household-income test for shared parenting, which counts other adults in the primary home.

What is the self-support reserve in NJ?

$460 per week as of January 1, 2026 — 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person. If paying the guideline amount would leave the paying parent with less than that, the order is reduced to net income minus $460 — but only if the other parent’s remaining income is above $460.

When does child support end in NJ?

Child support ends automatically at age 19 (or earlier if the child marries, dies or joins the military) unless the court orders otherwise. It can continue up to age 23 for a child still in high school, in full-time college or vocational school, or disabled — the parent must request it before age 19. Beyond 23 only for a severe disability that causes financial dependence (N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56.67).

Does child support increase in NJ?

Yes, in two ways. Rule 5:6B adjusts every order every two years for cost of living (based on NJ-area CPI, with 30 days to contest). Either parent can also ask the court to modify support after a substantial change in circumstances, such as a job loss, big raise or change in parenting time.

Is this the same as the NJ QuickCalc?

No. The official estimator is NJ Child Support QuickCalc (quickcalc.njchildsupport.gov), run by the state. This calculator uses the same Appendix IX-F schedule and worksheet rules and shows every line; the difference is the tax step — it estimates 2026 taxes for a single filer, while QuickCalc uses the Appendix IX-H withholding tables. Expect results within a few dollars when you enter net income.

Are NJ child support orders weekly or monthly?

Weekly. New Jersey worksheets use weekly amounts — monthly figures are divided by 4.3 and annual figures by 52. To convert a weekly order to monthly, multiply by 4.3: $261/week ≈ $1,122/month.

¿Cómo se calcula el child support en NJ?

Nueva Jersey usa el ingreso neto semanal de ambos padres. Se suman los dos ingresos netos, se busca la cantidad básica en la tabla del Apéndice IX-F según el número de hijos, se agregan guardería y seguro médico, y cada padre paga según su porcentaje del ingreso total. Ejemplo: salarios de $85,000 y $55,000 con 2 hijos ≈ $261 por semana.

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New Jersey · 2025 schedule · 2026 tax rates

New Jersey Child Support Calculator (2026)

Quick answer

NJ child support is based on both parents’ combined net weekly income. Look up the basic award for the number of children in the Appendix IX-F schedule (effective September 1, 2025), add child care and health insurance, and the paying parent owes their percentage share, minus parenting-time credits. Example: salaries of $85,000 and $55,000, 2 children, alternate weekends → combined net $2,209/week, basic award $505, order about $261/week ($1,122/month).

Enter each parent’s gross or net pay, the number of children and overnights. The calculator follows the official sole- and shared-parenting worksheets line by line, including add-ons, other-child orders, the 28% shared-parenting threshold, the $460 self-support reserve and the $3,600 income ceiling — and shows every line so you can check it against a court worksheet or QuickCalc.

Official 2025 Appendix IX-F schedule (1–6 children)
Sole- and shared-parenting worksheets, including 50/50
Gross-to-net with 2026 federal and NJ tax rates
Verified against a published NJ example ($276/week)

Last updated October 2, 2026. Checked against NJ Court Rules Appendix IX-A, IX-B and IX-F (amendments effective June 1, 2026). · support on a $120,000 salary · 50/50 custody

NJ Child Support Calculator (2026 guidelines)

Uses the Appendix IX-F schedule effective September 1, 2025, the sole- and shared-parenting worksheets and the $460 self-support reserve.

Try a common situation:

Number of children in this case

Parent of primary residence

Custodial parent — has the children most overnights

Income

Other parent

Non-custodial parent / parent of alternate residence

Income

Overnights per year with the other parent

Regular overnights only (not vacations). 28% or more (about 101+ nights) uses the shared-parenting worksheet.

Apply the parenting-time (variable expense) credit when under 28%

Work-related child care ($/week, after tax credits)

Child’s share of health insurance ($/week)

Court-approved extraordinary expenses ($/week)

People in the primary household (shared test)

Blank = primary parent + children (3)

Estimated NJ child support · sole-parenting worksheet

$261 /week

$1,122/month · $13,572/year — paid by the other parent

Combined net income

$2,209/wk

Schedule row

$2,210

Basic support

$505/wk

Payer’s income share

56.9%

52 overnights is 14.2% of the year — under 28% (about 2 nights a week), so the sole-parenting worksheet applies with a variable-expense parenting-time credit.

Line	Worksheet item (weekly)	Primary	Other	Combined
6	Net income	$951	$1,258	$2,209
7	Share of combined income	43.1%	56.9%	100.0%
8	Basic child support (Appendix IX-F at $2,210)			$505
9–12	Add-ons: child care, child’s health insurance, extraordinary expenses			$0
13	Total child support amount (8 + add-ons)			$505
14	Each parent’s share of the total	$217	$288
16–19	Credit for add-ons the NCP pays directly		$0
20	Parenting-time credit (basic × 14.2% overnights × 37%)		$27
21	Net child support obligation		$261

How this was calculated

Parent of primary residence: gross $1,058/week − estimated taxes $107 (federal, NJ, Social Security, Medicare) − other deductions = net $951/week.
Other parent: gross $1,635/week − estimated taxes $377 (federal, NJ, Social Security, Medicare) − other deductions = net $1,258/week.
Combined net income $2,209/week → schedule row $2,210 (NJ rounds to the nearest $10). Income shares: 43.1% and 56.9%.
Appendix IX-F basic support for 2 children: $505/week.
Sole-parenting worksheet: 56.9% × $505 = $288, minus a parenting-time credit of $27 (52 overnights × 37% variable costs).
Child support order: $261/week ($1,122/month using NJ’s 4.3 weeks per month) paid by the other parent.

Estimate only. Gross income is converted to net with 2026 federal, NJ, Social Security and Medicare rates for a single filer; courts use the Appendix IX-H tables or actual tax returns, so the official worksheet can differ by a few dollars. The court decides the final order.

How child support is calculated in New Jersey

Child support order = paying parent’s income share × (basic award + add-ons) − credits. For the example above: net incomes $951 and $1,258 a week combine to $2,209, which rounds to the $2,210 row, where two children = $505. The other parent earns 56.9% of the total, so their share is $288; 52 overnights earn a $27 parenting-time credit, leaving $261/week.

Find each parent’s net weekly income. Gross income minus taxes, mandatory retirement, mandatory union dues and existing support orders. Divide monthly figures by 4.3 and annual figures by 52.
Combine and look up the basic award. Add both net incomes, round to the nearest $10 and read the Appendix IX-F schedule for the number of children.
Add supplemental expenses. Add net work-related child care, the child’s health insurance and court-approved predictable extraordinary expenses.
Split by income share. Each parent’s share equals their net income divided by combined net income.
Apply parenting-time adjustments. Under 28% overnights: subtract basic × overnight share × 37%. At 28% or more: use the shared-parenting worksheet with 38% fixed and 37% variable costs.
Test the self-support reserve. If paying leaves the obligor below $460/week, cap the order at net income minus $460 (minimum $5/week).

NJ child support by salary (2026 estimate)

Weekly support paid by a parent with no regular overnights, by that parent’s gross annual salary. Net pay uses 2026 federal and NJ tax rates for a single filer; no child care, insurance or other orders.

Paying parent’s salary	Net pay /week	1 child (other parent $0)	2 kids (other parent $0)	1 child (other parent $40k)	2 kids (other parent $40k)
$30,000	$497	$172	$224	$37	$37
$40,000	$647	$214	$263	$168	$187
$50,000	$791	$249	$295	$196	$222
$60,000	$935	$280	$327	$221	$250
$75,000	$1,135	$315	$363	$252	$286
$90,000	$1,319	$345	$394	$280	$316
$100,000	$1,442	$362	$411	$296	$335
$120,000	$1,688	$392	$445	$331	$371
$150,000	$2,047	$431	$487	$386	$424
$200,000	$2,661	$504	$557	$510	$528

NJ child support chart — Appendix IX-F (effective Sept. 1, 2025)

Total weekly basic support for both parents by combined net weekly income, shown every $100 (the official schedule has $10 rows — use the Schedule lookup tab for any amount). Below $180 the court sets $5 up to the $180 amount; above $3,600 the last row is a minimum.

Combined net /week	1 child	2 children	3 children	4 children	5 children	6 children
$200	$70	$132	$141	$157	$173	$188
$300	$107	$165	$179	$199	$219	$238
$400	$141	$195	$214	$239	$263	$286
$500	$172	$224	$248	$277	$304	$331
$600	$201	$250	$280	$312	$343	$373
$700	$227	$275	$310	$345	$380	$413
$800	$250	$298	$338	$377	$415	$451
$900	$273	$319	$365	$407	$448	$487
$1,000	$293	$339	$390	$435	$479	$521
$1,100	$310	$357	$414	$462	$508	$553
$1,200	$327	$375	$437	$487	$536	$583
$1,300	$342	$391	$459	$511	$563	$612
$1,400	$357	$406	$479	$534	$588	$640
$1,500	$369	$420	$499	$557	$612	$666
$1,600	$382	$433	$518	$578	$636	$691
$1,700	$393	$446	$537	$598	$658	$716
$1,800	$403	$458	$554	$618	$680	$740
$1,900	$414	$470	$572	$638	$701	$763
$2,000	$425	$481	$589	$657	$722	$786
$2,100	$436	$492	$606	$676	$743	$809
$2,200	$446	$504	$623	$695	$764	$831
$2,300	$457	$515	$640	$713	$785	$854
$2,400	$470	$526	$657	$733	$806	$877
$2,500	$481	$538	$674	$752	$827	$900
$2,600	$495	$550	$692	$772	$849	$924
$2,700	$510	$563	$710	$792	$871	$948
$2,800	$525	$576	$729	$813	$895	$973
$2,900	$543	$590	$749	$835	$919	$999
$3,000	$561	$605	$769	$858	$944	$1,027
$3,100	$582	$620	$791	$882	$970	$1,055
$3,200	$604	$637	$814	$907	$998	$1,086
$3,300	$629	$656	$837	$934	$1,027	$1,117
$3,400	$656	$675	$862	$961	$1,058	$1,151
$3,500	$686	$696	$889	$991	$1,090	$1,186
$3,600	$717	$719	$917	$1,022	$1,125	$1,223

How overnights change NJ child support

$85,000 and $55,000 salaries, 2 children. At 28% of overnights the shared-parenting worksheet takes over.

Other parent’s overnights	Share	Worksheet	Support	Monthly
0	0.0%	Sole	$288/wk	$1,238
52	14.2%	Sole	$261/wk	$1,122
78	21.4%	Sole	$248/wk	$1,066
100	27.4%	Sole	$236/wk	$1,015
101	27.7%	Shared	$190/wk	$817
104	28.5%	Shared	$187/wk	$804
130	35.6%	Shared	$162/wk	$697
156	42.7%	Shared	$137/wk	$589
182	49.9%	Shared	$112/wk	$482

Gross to net weekly income (2026 estimate)

Single filer, no dependents: federal and NJ income tax, Social Security (6.2% to $184,500) and Medicare.

Gross salary	Gross /week	Taxes /week	Net /week
$30,000	$577	$80	$497
$45,000	$865	$146	$719
$60,000	$1,154	$219	$935
$75,000	$1,442	$308	$1,135
$100,000	$1,923	$481	$1,442
$120,000	$2,308	$619	$1,688
$150,000	$2,885	$838	$2,047
$200,000	$3,846	$1,185	$2,661

What the basic award covers

Appendix IX-A, paragraph 8

Included: the child’s share of housing, food, clothing, transportation, entertainment, miscellaneous items and unreimbursed health care up to $250 per child per year.

Added on top: net work-related child care (after tax credits), the cost of adding the child to health insurance, predictable medical costs above $250 a year and court-approved extraordinary expenses.

Shared-parenting split: fixed costs (housing) 38%, variable costs (food, transportation) 37%, controlled costs (clothing, personal care, entertainment) 25%.

Shared-parenting household income test (2026)

Primary household net income + support. Below 2 × the poverty guideline, the sole worksheet is used and the parenting-time credit is discretionary

People in primary home	Weekly net	Annual net
2	$832	$43,264
3	$1,051	$54,652
4	$1,269	$65,988
5	$1,488	$77,376
6	$1,706	$88,712
7	$1,925	$100,100
8	$2,143	$111,436

Ends at 19, up to 23

Support stops automatically at 19 unless continued for school or disability — never past 23 except severe disability (N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56.67).

COLA every 2 years

Rule 5:6B raises orders every two years with NJ-area inflation; a parent can contest within 30 days if income hasn’t kept pace.

Rebuttable presumption

Judges must use the guidelines unless a party shows they would be unjust in that case, and must explain any deviation.

Sources and how this calculator was checked

The schedule was transcribed from the official Appendix IX-F and checked row by row (343 rows, 1–6 children). Worksheet math follows the Appendix IX-B line instructions and reproduces the published $276/week shared-parenting example exactly. Every table on this page is generated by the same code as the calculator.

NJ Courts — Appendix IX-F Schedule of Child Support Awards (eff. Sept. 1, 2025)Weekly basic awards for 1–6 children, $180–$3,600 combined net income.
NJ Courts — Appendix IX-A Considerations in the Use of Child Support GuidelinesIncome definitions, included expenses, shared-parenting rules, household thresholds, extreme incomes.
NJ Courts — Appendix IX-B Line instructions for the worksheetsRounding to the nearest $10, 37% variable / 38% fixed costs, other-dependent averaging, self-support reserve.
NJ Courts — Sole Parenting Worksheet (Appendix IX-C)The official form this calculator’s line numbers follow.
NJ Courts — 2026 annual updating amendments (eff. June 1, 2026)$460/week self-support reserve as of January 1, 2026.
NJ Child Support — QuickCalcThe state’s official estimator using Appendix IX-H tax tables.
N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56.67 — Termination of child supportSupport ends at 19, extendable to 23.
NJ Rule 5:6B — Cost-of-living adjustmentsBiennial COLA on every child support order.
IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 — 2026 inflation adjustments2026 federal brackets, $16,100 standard deduction, $2,200 child tax credit.
Family Law Software — NJ changes effective September 1, 2025Published $219 → $276 shared-parenting example used to verify this calculator.

Not legal advice. Courts may impute income, deviate from the guidelines, or use actual tax returns and the Appendix IX-H tables. Theoretical other-dependent deductions, self-employment income and extreme incomes need a full worksheet — talk to a New Jersey family law attorney or the county Probation Child Support office.

Need your exact take-home pay first? Use the New Jersey paycheck calculator. Family law firm or mediator? We build branded support calculators.

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