Understanding South Carolina child support laws helps both custodial and non-custodial parents know their rights and obligations. This comprehensive South Carolina child support guide covers how payments are calculated, what income counts, when support can be modified, and how orders are enforced. Whether you are going through a divorce, seeking a modification, or dealing with non-payment, this guide explains South Carolina’s child support system in plain language.
Verified against South Carolina statutes and federal OCSE guidelines as of April 2026.
In This South Carolina Child Support Guide:
South Carolina Child Support Overview
| Calculation Model | Income Shares Model |
| Support Ends At | Child support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, but no later than age 19. Support also terminates upon emancipation through marriage, entry into the armed forces, or becoming self-supporting as determined by the court. Under S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-3-530(A)(17), support may continue indefinitely for a child with a physical or mental disability that prevents self-support, provided the disability existed or was known before the child turned 18. |
| College Support Required | NO. South Carolina has no statutory requirement for parents to pay college costs |
| Enforcement Agency | South Carolina Department of Social Services — Child Support Services Division (DCSS) |
South Carolina uses the income shares model for calculating child support. This model is based on the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family were intact. Both parents’ incomes are combined, and the support obligation is divided proportionally.
South Carolina uses the Income Shares Model, which estimates the amount parents would have spent on their children if the family were intact. Both parents’ gross monthly incomes are combined, and a Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (keyed to combined income and number of children, 1-6) determines the base obligation. Each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of combined gross income. The custodial parent’s share is presumed spent directly through daily care; the noncustodial parent’s share becomes the child support payment. The 2024 guidelines update raised amounts approximately 25% over the 2014 schedule and increased the combined gross income ceiling from 30000 to 40000 per month.
How South Carolina Calculates Child Support
The South Carolina child support calculation considers multiple factors:
- Determine each parent’s gross income — wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, investment income, and other sources.
- Calculate combined parental income — add both parents’ adjusted gross incomes together.
- Apply the guideline schedule — South Carolina’s guidelines provide a base support amount based on combined income and number of children.
- Prorate between parents — each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income.
- Add healthcare and childcare costs — these are added to the base amount and divided proportionally.
- Apply adjustments — parenting time credits, other child obligations, and special circumstances may adjust the final amount.
Online calculator: Use our child support estimator below to calculate your estimated obligation.
What Counts as Income in South Carolina
Gross income from all sources, including: salaries, wages, commissions, royalties, bonuses, rents (less allowable business expenses), dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, Social Security benefits (but NOT Supplemental Security Income/SSI), workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment insurance benefits, Veterans’ benefits, and alimony (including alimony received from another marriage or from the current litigation). Self-employment income is included with documentation of receipts and expenses. Alimony paid under a court order to the other parent or a previous spouse is deducted from the payer’s gross income.
Imputed income: YES. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court calculates support based on potential income. Factors considered include: the parent’s assets, residence, employment and earnings history, job skills, educational attainment, literacy, age, health, criminal record, other employment barriers, record of seeking work, the local job market, availability of employers, and prevailing earning levels in the community. Exception: a parent unable to work due to caring for a very young child or a child with a disability may not have income imputed.
Deviation factors: The court may deviate from guideline amounts under S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-17-470 if application would be unjust or inappropriate. Factors include: alimony awarded in the case; significant income disparity making the guideline amount impracticable for the noncustodial parent; mandatory union dues or pension contributions; child’s significant independent income; special education expenses; extraordinary medical expenses; high-income circumstances (combined gross income above 40000/month); prior family support obligations from other relationships; and agreements of the parties.
Healthcare & Childcare in South Carolina Child Support
Health insurance: The cost of health insurance premiums attributable to the children is added to the basic child support obligation and divided between parents in proportion to their share of combined gross income. The parent carrying the insurance receives a credit. Extraordinary medical expenses — defined as uninsured medical expenses that are reasonable and necessary in excess of 250 per year per child — are addressed separately under the 2024 guidelines, which created a structured process for allocating such costs between parents.
Childcare costs: Work-related childcare expenses for the children are added to the basic child support obligation and divided between parents proportionally based on each parent’s share of combined gross income. The parent paying childcare receives a credit for the monthly amount paid. Only childcare costs that are necessary due to employment or job-seeking qualify.
When Does South Carolina Child Support End?
In South Carolina, child support generally ends when the child reaches Child support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, but no later than age 19. Support also terminates upon emancipation through marriage, entry into the armed forces, or becoming self-supporting as determined by the court. Under S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-3-530(A)(17), support may continue indefinitely for a child with a physical or mental disability that prevents self-support, provided the disability existed or was known before the child turned 18.. However, support may continue or end earlier based on:
- The child graduates from high school (if still a minor)
- The child becomes emancipated (marriage, military service, self-supporting)
- The child has special needs requiring ongoing support
- College support: NO. South Carolina has no statutory requirement for parents to pay college costs. However, parents may voluntarily agree to continue support through post-secondary education, and such agreements can be written into a consent order. The court cannot order college support absent an agreement between the parties.
Modifying South Carolina Child Support
When to modify: A parent must demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances or a substantial change in the financial ability of either party. The South Carolina DSS Child Support Enforcement Division considers a change substantial when the recalculated support amount differs by at least 20% from the existing order. Common qualifying changes include: significant income changes for either parent, changes in custody arrangement or overnight schedule, changes in children’s medical or educational needs, and emancipation of one child in a multi-child order. An anticipated change that was already considered in the original order does not qualify.
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How to modify: Either parent may request a modification through the South Carolina Department of Social Services Child Support Enforcement Division or by filing a petition directly with the Family Court. DSS provides a review-and-adjustment process for cases under its management. For private cases, a parent files a motion with the Family Court in the county where the order was issued, serving the other parent. Modifications take effect from the date of filing and service — they cannot be applied retroactively to installments that accrued before filing.
Either parent can request a modification. Changes are typically not retroactive to before the date of filing the modification request.
South Carolina Child Support Enforcement
South Carolina has multiple tools to enforce child support orders when a parent fails to pay:
- Automatic income withholding (wage garnishment from first dollar
- mandated in all orders since 1988; up to 50% of disposable earnings if supporting another spouse/child
- 60% if not
- plus additional 5% if more than 12 weeks in arrears); federal and state tax refund intercept (TANF cases: 150 minimum arrears and 3 months delinquent; non-TANF cases: 500 minimum arrears and 3 months delinquent); passport denial (automatic referral to U.S. State Department when arrears reach 2500); driver’s license suspension; professional/occupational/business license suspension; liens on personal property; credit bureau reporting of overdue support; contempt of court proceedings (penalties include fines up to 1500
- up to 300 hours of community service
- or up to one year in jail); and federal parent locator services.
Contact South Carolina Department of Social Services — Child Support Services Division (DCSS) at https://dss.sc.gov/child-support/ for enforcement assistance.
Additional South Carolina rules: The 2024 guidelines (effective January 15, 2024) represent the most recent quadrennial review and significantly updated the schedule of obligations. The combined gross income ceiling is 40000 per month; for incomes above this, courts have discretion and may extrapolate. South Carolina applies adjustments for the number of overnight visits with the noncustodial parent. A self-support reserve ensures the obligor retains enough income to meet basic needs. Emancipation is never presumed in South Carolina — the parent seeking termination bears the full burden of proof.
Official Sources & Resources
- South Carolina Department of Social Services — Child Support Services Division (DCSS): https://dss.sc.gov/child-support/
- Federal OCSE: acf.hhs.gov/css
- Cornell LII — Child Support: law.cornell.edu
- South Carolina Guidelines Statute: S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-17-470 (proceedings and awards; rebuttable presumption of guideline amounts); S.C. Code Ann. Section 43-5-580(b) (mandate for DSS to promulgate guidelines regulations, reviewed at least every four years); S.C. Code Regs. Section 114-4720 (detailed determination of child support awards under Income Shares Model)
Last verified April 2026. Contact us if you notice outdated information.
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Formulas last verified: May 2026. This is an estimate only. Actual court-ordered support may differ based on deductions, health insurance, childcare costs, and judicial discretion. This is general educational information, not legal advice. Consult a family law attorney for your specific situation.