How Child Support Works in Texas (2026): Rates, Cap, Rules
Texas child support is 20% of the paying parent's net resources for one child, up to an $11,700 cap. How to open a case, get paid and enforce an order.
Click to zoomA smiling single mother sits on the couch at home next to her young son, both looking at the camera
Texas child support is set by a formula. A court takes the paying parent's monthly net resources, which is income after certain taxes and costs, and multiplies it by a fixed percentage: 20% for one child, rising to 40% for five (Texas Family Code 154.125). Medical and dental support are added on top.
This guide explains how child support works in Texas for a single mom who is raising the children: how the amount is figured, how to open a case, how the money reaches you, and what the state can do when he does not pay. How this guide was checked. Every rule below was read in the Texas Family Code or on the Attorney General's site on October 6, 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.
| The figure | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | of the paying parent's monthly net resources for one child | Fam. Code 154.125 |
| $11,700 | monthly net resources cap for the guideline, since September 1, 2025 | Texas Register |
| 80% | of Texas child support payments come through wage withholding | Texas OAG |
The short version
- Support is a percentage of his net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, up to 40% for five
- The percentage applies to the first $11,700 a month of net resources, so guideline support for one child tops out at $2,340
- Open a case online with the Texas Attorney General or call (800) 252-8014
- Unpaid support grows at 6% interest a year and can cost him his license, tax refund and passport
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Texas child support starts with net resources. Count 100% of wages, including overtime, tips, commissions and bonuses, plus self-employment income, rent, unemployment, and Social Security benefits other than SSI. TANF and SSI do not count (Fam. Code 154.062).
Then subtract a short list: Social Security and Medicare taxes, federal income tax figured as a single person with one personal exemption and the standard deduction, state income tax, union dues, the cost of the children's health and dental insurance, and required retirement contributions. The Attorney General publishes tax charts each year so courts use the same numbers.
Multiply what is left by the guideline percentage. If his net resources are under $1,000 a month, a lower scale applies, starting at 15% for one child.
| Children in the order | Standard | Net resources under $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20% | 15% |
| 2 | 25% | 20% |
| 3 | 30% | 25% |
| 4 | 35% | 30% |
| 5 | 40% | 35% |
| 6 or more | Not less than for 5 | Not less than for 5 |
If he also supports children in another home, the court can use a separate table instead. For example, one child in your case plus one other child he supports gives 17.50% rather than 20% (Fam. Code 154.129).
How much is child support in Texas for one child?
For one child, support is 20% of net resources. If his net resources are $3,000 a month, the guideline amount is $600. At $5,000 it is $1,000. You can run your own numbers in the Attorney General's Monthly Child Support Calculator.
There is a ceiling on the income the percentage touches. Since September 1, 2025, the guideline applies to the first $11,700 a month of net resources, so one child's guideline support tops out at $2,340 (Texas Register, August 15, 2025). The cap is adjusted for inflation every six years.
A court can order more than the capped amount when the child's proven needs call for it (Fam. Code 154.126). If he hides his pay or has no work history, the court presumes he earns the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour week (Fam. Code 154.068).
Your new husband's income, or his new wife's, is never added to the formula (Fam. Code 154.069). The Texas grants guide for single moms covers help that does not depend on his payments.
Who pays for health insurance and medical bills?
Medical and dental support are separate from guideline support and are added on top. They are enforced the same way as child support (Fam. Code 154.183).
Health insurance, or cash medical support in its place, is considered reasonable when it costs no more than 9% of the paying parent's annual resources (Fam. Code 154.182). For dental insurance, the line is 1.5% (Fam. Code 154.1815).
Bills insurance does not cover, such as deductibles and copays, are split between the parents as the court decides. The law does not require a 50/50 split, so ask for the split in writing in your order.
How do you open a child support case in Texas?
Most single moms apply through the Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division. The fastest way is the online application at childsupport.oag.texas.gov. You can also call (800) 252-8014 to get a paper form by mail (Texas OAG, How to Apply).
If you were not married to the father, paternity comes first. An Acknowledgment of Paternity signed by both parents is free, and either parent can cancel it within 60 days, or until a court case starts if that is sooner (Texas OAG, Acknowledgment of Paternity). If he will not sign, the Attorney General can ask the court to order genetic testing, and you may receive a free DNA test (Texas OAG, Paternity, Child Support and You).
When both parents agree, the Attorney General may set up a Child Support Review Process meeting of about 60 to 90 minutes instead of a full court hearing. Cases with family violence are generally handled through court instead (Texas OAG, Understanding the Legal Process).
Fees are small. A mother who has never received TANF pays a $35 annual service fee for each year she collects at least $550, taken from the support. Registry-only cases pay $3 a month (Texas OAG, Child Support Fees).
How do you receive child support payments in Texas?
Payments go through the State Disbursement Unit, not hand to hand. You choose how to receive them: direct deposit to your bank account or the Texas Payment Card, a prepaid Visa card that carries fees listed in its cardholder agreement (Texas OAG, How to Receive). Direct deposit avoids card fees.
About 80% of Texas child support is paid through wage withholding, where his employer takes it out of his paycheck (Texas OAG, Wage Withholding). The employer can withhold up to 50% of disposable earnings for support (Fam. Code 158.009). Under Fam. Code 158.204, it may also charge him up to $10 a month for doing it.
Payments can take up to seven days to post after he pays (Texas OAG, How to Pay). Keep your own log of every payment and date.
What happens if the other parent does not pay child support in Texas?
Every missed payment becomes a final judgment for the amount owed (Fam. Code 157.261). Unpaid support then grows at 6% simple interest a year (Fam. Code 157.265).
Texas can suspend his driver's, professional or hunting license when three things are true: he owes at least three months of support, he was given a repayment schedule, and he failed to follow it (Fam. Code 232.003). A child support lien also attaches to his property (Fam. Code 157.312).
Federal tools apply too. Past-due support can be taken from his federal tax refund (42 U.S.C. 664), and the State Department denies passports once arrears pass $2,500 (42 U.S.C. 652(k)). A court can also hold him in contempt.
Two rules protect you. He cannot stop paying because you limit visits, since support and visitation are separate duties (Fam. Code 154.011). And the Attorney General does not enforce visitation orders, so a visitation dispute does not slow down collection. If he is behind because he is locked up, the guide to help when the father is in jail covers your options.
Can child support be changed in Texas?
Yes, through the court or the Attorney General. An order can be modified when circumstances have materially and substantially changed, or when it is at least three years old and the guideline amount now differs by 20% or $100 from what is ordered (Fam. Code 156.401).
Side deals do not count. If he promises to pay less or you agree to take less, the court order still controls until it is formally changed (Texas OAG, Modification Process).
How does child support work with TANF in Texas?
If you receive TANF cash, your right to support is assigned to the state. You still get the first $75 collected in any month when a current payment is made, and the state keeps the rest to repay TANF (Texas OAG, Child Support and Public Assistance).
For scale, the most TANF pays a single mother with two children in Texas is $388 a month from October 1, 2026 (HHSC Bulletin 26-16). If his support would be much larger, compare both before you choose. For rent help, see the Texas housing assistance guide for single mothers.
How long does child support last in Texas?
Child support in Texas runs until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later (Fam. Code 154.001). The same section ends it earlier if the child marries or is legally emancipated. It can continue indefinitely for a child disabled on or before turning 18 (Fam. Code 154.302).
If you never filed, you can still ask for back support. A court is presumed reasonable when it limits back support to the four years before you filed, and you can file up to the fourth anniversary of the child's 18th birthday (Fam. Code 154.131).
Sharing custody 50/50 does not cancel support. Texas has no automatic formula for equal time, and time with each parent is one factor a court may weigh to depart from the guideline (Fam. Code 154.123). The 50/50 custody schedule guide explains common splits.
One rumor to ignore: a 2025 bill to require support from conception, SB 942, passed the Senate but never became law (Texas Legislature Online, SB 942).
Texas child support checklist
- Gather his full name, date of birth, last known address and employer, and the children's birth certificates.
- If you were not married, sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity together or ask the Attorney General for genetic testing.
- Apply online at childsupport.oag.texas.gov or call (800) 252-8014.
- Estimate the amount with the Attorney General's Monthly Child Support Calculator.
- Choose direct deposit for payments to avoid card fees.
- Ask that health and dental insurance, and the split of uninsured bills, be written into the order.
- Keep a dated log of every payment and every missed one.
- Ask for a review when the order is three years old or his income changes a lot.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage is child support for one child in Texas?
Guideline support for one child is 20% of the paying parent's monthly net resources. With $3,000 in net resources, that is $600 a month. The percentage applies only to the first $11,700, so guideline support for one child tops out at $2,340, plus medical and dental support.
What is the maximum child support in Texas in 2026?
The guideline applies to the first $11,700 a month of net resources, a cap in effect since September 1, 2025. That makes guideline support $2,340 for one child and $4,680 for five. A court can order more when a child's proven needs call for it.
How do I file for child support in Texas?
Apply with the Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division online at childsupport.oag.texas.gov, or call (800) 252-8014 for a paper form. If you were not married to the father, paternity is set first, either with a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity or with genetic testing ordered through the case.
What happens if child support is not paid in Texas?
Each missed payment becomes a judgment and grows at 6% interest a year. The state can withhold wages, place liens, take a federal tax refund, and suspend licenses after three months owed and a broken repayment plan. Passports are denied once arrears pass $2,500, and contempt is possible.
Do you have to pay child support with 50/50 custody in Texas?
Often, yes. Texas has no automatic rule that equal time ends support. Time with each parent is one factor a court may use to set an amount different from the guideline. A parent who earns more may still pay support when custody is split evenly.
Support is one part of the money picture. If his payments stop, the emergency assistance guide lists fast help. The single mom resources page sorts the rest by need.
Sources
- Texas Family Code 154.125, Application of guidelines to net resources (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.126, Application of guidelines to additional net resources (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.129, Alternative method for multiple families (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.062, Net resources (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.068, Wage and salary presumption (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.069, Net resources of spouse (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.183, Medical and dental support as additional support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.182, Health insurance and cash medical support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.1815, Dental insurance (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.001, Support of child (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.302, Support for disabled child (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.123, Additional factors for court to consider (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.011, Support not conditioned on possession or access (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 154.131, Retroactive child support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 156.401, Grounds for modification of child support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 157.261, Unpaid child support as judgment (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 157.265, Accrual of interest on child support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 157.312, Child support lien (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 158.009, Maximum amount withheld from earnings (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 158.204, Employer may deduct fee from earnings (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Family Code 232.003, Suspension of license (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Register, August 15, 2025, Attorney General notice under Family Code 154.125 ($11,700) (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Monthly Child Support Calculator (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, How to Apply for Child Support Services (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Child Support Fees (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Acknowledgment of Paternity (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Paternity, Child Support and You (brochure 22037) (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Understanding the Legal Process (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, How to Receive Child Support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Wage Withholding (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, How to Pay Child Support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Support Modification Process (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas OAG, Child Support and Public Assistance (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas HHSC, MEPD and Texas Works Bulletin 26-16 (TANF maximum grants, October 2026) (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- 42 U.S.C. 664, Collection of past-due support from federal tax refunds (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k), Denial of passports for nonpayment of child support (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Texas Legislature Online, SB 942 (89th Legislature) bill history (retrieved October 6, 2026)
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✻ About the contributor · Folio N°.189
Written by Subha
Psychologist and writer covering the topics that matter most to single moms, money, mental health, and the small daily rituals that keep a family running. Every article is research-backed and edited four times before publish.
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