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Alabama Child Support Calculator
Estimate Alabama child support under Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration: gross-income schedule, self-support reserve and shared 50% custody.
How to Use the Alabama Child Support Calculator
Using the Alabama child support calculator takes about a minute. Enter what you know, press Calculate Estimate, and read the breakdown under the result.
- Enter each parent's gross monthly income (before taxes) as Parent A and Parent B.
- Choose the number of children and the parent the children live with most of the time (the custodial parent).
- Add monthly work-related child care and the children's health insurance premium, if any, and say which parent pays them.
- If a court has ordered shared 50% physical custody, tick the shared custody box so the estimate follows Rule 32's shared custody form (CS-42-S).
No account is needed. Your numbers are sent with the form, not placed in the page address, and this site does not store them. Treat the result as a planning estimate, then confirm it with the court or your state child support agency.
New Alabama Child Support Laws and Changes for 2026
Looking for new child support laws in Alabama for 2026? The current guidelines are Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration, effective June 1, 2023, including the schedule of basic child support obligations and the Form CS-42 worksheets. As of this review we did not find a 2026 amendment to the schedule. The Alabama Judicial System publishes any proposed or adopted changes on its Child Support Guidelines review page.
A guideline update does not automatically change an existing order; modification is a separate request to the court.
How Alabama Calculates Child Support Under Rule 32
Alabama sets child support with the Child Support Guidelines in Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration. The version used here took effect on June 1, 2023. Unlike Florida or Pennsylvania, Alabama's schedule is based on gross income, so you do not have to estimate taxes first. The calculator follows the same order as the court's child support guideline form (CS-42):
- Combined gross income. Add both parents' monthly gross incomes. The schedule runs up to $30,000 of combined monthly gross income; the Committee Comments say the table is not to be extended above that, so the court uses its discretion for higher incomes.
- Basic child support obligation. Find the row of the Schedule of Basic Child-Support Obligations nearest to the combined income (a figure exactly halfway between rows rounds up) and read the column for the number of children.
- Add child care and health-care costs to reach the total obligation.
- Divide by income share. Each parent's percentage of the combined income, rounded to the nearest whole percent, times the total gives that parent's share. The paying parent's share, less any costs that parent already pays directly, is the guideline amount.
- Self-support reserve check. Support is limited to 85% of the paying parent's gross income above the $981 self-support reserve. If that figure is under $50, Rule 32 presumes a $50 minimum order, which the court can rebut. The recommended order is the lesser of the guideline share and the income available for support.
Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar and percentages to the nearest 1%, as the rule requires.
Alabama Child Support Examples
Example 1: Standard calculation, 2 children
Parent A earns $1,800 a month and the two children live with Parent A. Parent B earns $4,200 a month. Neither parent pays separate child care or insurance for the children.
- Parent A gross monthly income: $1,800.00
- Parent B gross monthly income: $4,200.00
- Combined gross income: $6,000.00
- Basic obligation (schedule, 2 children): $1,271
- + Child care costs: $0.00
- + Health-care coverage for the children: $0.00
- Total obligation: $1,271.00
- Parent B share (70%): $890
- Income available for support (85% of income above the $981 self-support reserve): $2,736
Result: Parent B pays Parent A about $890/month. The 85% income-available limit is far above this figure, so the self-support reserve does not reduce the order.
Example 2: Self-support reserve applies, 1 child
Parent A earns $2,500 and has the child; Parent B earns $1,400. Child care is $300 and the child's health coverage is $120, both paid by Parent A.
- Parent A gross monthly income: $2,500.00
- Parent B gross monthly income: $1,400.00
- Combined gross income: $3,900.00
- Basic obligation (schedule, 1 child): $676
- + Child care costs: $300.00
- + Health-care coverage for the children: $120.00
- Total obligation: $1,096.00
- Parent B share (36%): $395
- Income available for support (85% of income above the $981 self-support reserve): $356
Result: Parent B pays Parent A about $356/month (limited by the self-support reserve). Parent B's guideline share is higher than 85% of the income above $981, so the lower figure becomes the recommended order.
Example 3: Shared 50% custody, 2 children
The court orders shared 50% custody. Parent A earns $2,000 and Parent B earns $3,200; no extra costs.
- Parent A gross monthly income: $2,000.00
- Parent B gross monthly income: $3,200.00
- Combined gross income: $5,200.00
- Basic obligation (schedule, 2 children): $1,210
- × 150% for shared 50% custody: $1,815
- + Child care and health-care coverage: $0.00
- Total obligation: $1,815.00
- Parent A share / Parent B share: 38% / 62%
- Each parent credited with half of the shared obligation ($908) and the costs they pay
Result: Parent B pays Parent A about $217/month (shared 50% custody).
These are illustrations produced by this calculator, not court rulings. Change the numbers in the calculator above to see your own situation.
Alabama Child Support Schedule: Sample Basic Obligations
The table shows the basic monthly obligation from the Rule 32 schedule at a few combined gross incomes. It is the starting point before child care, health insurance, income shares and the self-support reserve are applied.
| Combined monthly gross income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children | 4 children |
|---|
| $1,500 | $292 | $444 | $535 | $598 |
| $2,500 | $465 | $707 | $853 | $953 |
| $3,500 | $632 | $956 | $1,147 | $1,281 |
| $5,000 | $796 | $1,194 | $1,422 | $1,588 |
| $7,500 | $980 | $1,451 | $1,703 | $1,902 |
| $10,000 | $1,155 | $1,700 | $1,984 | $2,216 |
| $15,000 | $1,557 | $2,279 | $2,645 | $2,954 |
| $20,000 | $1,835 | $2,727 | $3,215 | $3,591 |
The full schedule has a row every $50 up to $30,000 and columns for up to six children. Source: Alabama Schedule of Basic Child-Support Obligations (Rule 32, effective June 1, 2023).
Alabama Child Support With 50/50 (Shared) Custody
Searching for an Alabama child support calculator for 50/50 custody? Rule 32 has its own form for it: Form CS-42-S, used only when the court orders shared 50% physical custody. The basic obligation is multiplied by 150% to reflect the cost of running two households, child care and health-care costs are added, and each parent is credited with half of the shared obligation plus any costs they pay. The parent whose share is larger pays the difference.
The self-support reserve and $50 minimum used in the standard calculation do not apply to this form. Informal "joint custody" or an equal-looking schedule that the court has not ordered as shared 50% custody is not enough; use the standard calculation unless an order says otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alabama Child Support
Is this the official Alabama child support calculator?
No. ChildSupportCalculator.xyz is an independent tool. It applies the published Rule 32 schedule and rules, but only a court or the state can issue an official child support figure. The Alabama court system publishes Rule 32 and its forms.
How do I calculate child support in Alabama?
Add both parents' gross monthly incomes, look up the basic obligation for that combined income and the number of children, add child care and health-care costs, split the total by each parent's income share, then check the result against the self-support reserve. This calculator does all of those steps and shows each one.
What is the Alabama Rule 32 child support calculator?
Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration is the guideline that sets child support in the state. A Rule 32 calculator follows its schedule and the CS-42 form. This page does that for the 2023 version of the rule.
How much is child support for one child in Alabama?
It depends on income. For example, the schedule shows a basic obligation of $551 a month for one child at $3,000 combined gross income and $796 at $5,000. The parent who pays owes only their percentage share of that amount plus their share of child care and health insurance, subject to the self-support reserve.
How does Alabama calculate child support with 50/50 custody?
Only when the court orders shared 50% physical custody, the basic obligation is multiplied by 150% and each parent is credited with half of that amount and the costs they pay. Tick the shared custody box in the calculator to see this form.
What is the Alabama self-support reserve?
It is $981 a month under the 2023 rule. Support is limited to 85% of the paying parent's gross income above that amount, with a presumed $50 minimum when the result is lower than $50.
Does Alabama use gross or net income?
Gross income. The schedule is built on combined gross monthly income, so unlike some states you do not subtract taxes before using it.
What if our combined income is over $30,000 a month?
The Rule 32 schedule stops at $30,000 of combined monthly gross income. The Committee Comments say the amount should not be extrapolated, so the court sets support in its discretion and this calculator will say it cannot estimate.
Does this Alabama calculator include arrears or modification?
No. It estimates a new guideline amount only. Past-due support, interest and modification of an existing order depend on your case and should be checked with the court or an attorney.
Are there new child support laws in Alabama in 2026?
The current guidelines are Rule 32, effective June 1, 2023. We did not find a 2026 amendment to the schedule as of this review. Check the Alabama Judicial System's Child Support Guidelines review page for updates.
Official Alabama Child Support Resources
Published: October 10, 2026
Last reviewed: October 12, 2026
Researched and reviewed by Eric John, founder and editor, using official state statutes and guidance. How we build and check our calculators · Corrections
