Tennessee Child Support — Calculator, Laws & Guide (2026)

Understanding Tennessee child support laws helps both custodial and non-custodial parents know their rights and obligations. This comprehensive Tennessee 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 Tennessee’s child support system in plain language.

Verified against Tennessee statutes and federal OCSE guidelines as of April 2026.

Tennessee Child Support Overview

Tennessee 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.

Tennessee uses the Income Shares model under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-02-04-.03. Both parents’ adjusted gross incomes are combined and referenced against the Tennessee Child Support Schedule (a table based on combined income and number of children) to determine the Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO). Each parent’s share of the BCSO is then calculated as a pro rata percentage of their individual adjusted gross income relative to the combined total. The BCSO increases with the number of children. Health insurance premiums, work-related childcare costs, and uninsured medical expenses are added to the BCSO and allocated proportionally. Parenting time adjustments are built into the worksheet — the more overnight parenting time a parent exercises, the lower their child support obligation may be.

How Tennessee Calculates Child Support

The Tennessee child support calculation considers multiple factors:

1. Determine each parent’s gross income — wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, investment income, and other sources.
2. Calculate combined parental income — add both parents’ adjusted gross incomes together.
3. Apply the guideline schedule — Tennessee’s guidelines provide a base support amount based on combined income and number of children.
4. Prorate between parents — each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income.
5. Add healthcare and childcare costs — these are added to the base amount and divided proportionally.
6. 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 Tennessee

Gross income from all sources, whether earned or unearned, before taxes and deductions. Includes: wages, salaries, commissions, fees, tips, self-employment income, bonuses, overtime pay, severance pay, pensions and retirement plans (Social Security, VA, Railroad Retirement, Keoghs, IRAs), interest income, dividend income, trust income, annuities, net capital gains, workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment insurance benefits, judgments from personal injury or other civil cases, gifts, prizes, lottery winnings, alimony received, assets that are used for the support of the family, and Social Security benefits received on behalf of the child on the parent’s account. Variable income (commissions, bonuses, overtime, dividends) is averaged over a reasonable period consistent with the circumstances. Self-employed parents may deduct the employee-equivalent FICA amount (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare) from self-employment gross income. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is calculated by subtracting allowable credits from gross income, including pre-existing child support orders for other qualified children and a self-employment tax credit.

Imputed income: YES. Tennessee imputes income to parents found to be willfully unemployed or underemployed. The standard is “willful” (not merely “voluntary”) — the court must find the parent made unreasonable employment choices given their duty to support the child such that they earn substantially less than they could. Imputed income is based on the parent’s past and present employment, education, and training. Default imputed amounts (based on Tennessee median gross income from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey) are 43761 for males and 35936 for females per year. Exceptions exist: a parent staying home to care for young children is not presumed willfully unemployed — courts consider the age of children, prior caretaker role, and time out of the workforce. Pursuing additional education or training may also be reasonable if it benefits the child.

Deviation factors: Tennessee courts may deviate from guideline amounts under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-02-04-.07 when in the best interest of the child. Specific deviation factors include: (1) extraordinary educational expenses such as private school tuition, room and board, lab fees, and books appropriate to parents’ financial abilities; (2) extraordinary medical expenses not covered by insurance; (3) special needs of a disabled child; (4) substantial parenting time travel expenses due to distance between parents; (5) extreme economic hardship of either parent; (6) assets or unearned income of the child; (7) expenses for music lessons, camps, travel, and activities contributing to cultural, social, artistic, or athletic development (must exceed 7% of BCSO to be considered unless parties agree otherwise); (8) combined adjusted gross income above or below the child support schedule range; (9) a parent’s provision of significant in-kind contributions; (10) the needs of the child exceeding the standard calculation. The court must state in its order the basis for any deviation and the amount the order would have been without the deviation.

Healthcare & Childcare in Tennessee Child Support

Health insurance: Health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for the child is factored directly into the child support worksheet. The cost of the child’s portion of health insurance premiums is added to the BCSO and allocated between parents based on each parent’s percentage of income. The parent providing insurance receives a credit for the other parent’s share. Uninsured medical expenses (co-pays, deductibles, and expenses not covered by insurance) are also divided proportionally between parents based on their percentage of income. Under T.C.A. 36-5-101, each child support order must address health insurance coverage. If neither parent has access to reasonable-cost coverage, the court may order the parents to share uninsured medical costs.

Childcare costs: Work-related childcare costs are included in the child support calculation worksheet. The actual amount paid for childcare necessitated by employment or job search is added to the BCSO and divided between parents based on each parent’s percentage of combined income. If childcare costs vary month to month, the average monthly amount is used. Only the parent’s actual out-of-pocket cost is included — any childcare subsidies from public assistance programs are excluded. The parent paying childcare receives a credit for the other parent’s allocated share.

When Does Tennessee Child Support End?

In Tennessee, child support generally ends when the child reaches 18, or upon graduating high school if the child turns 18 while still in high school (whichever occurs later). Under T.C.A. 36-5-101(k)(1), support may continue until age 21 for a child who is disabled as defined by the ADA. For a severely disabled child living under the care and supervision of a parent, there is no age cap — support may continue indefinitely if the court determines it is in the child’s best interest and the obligor is financially able to pay. A child may be emancipated before 18 by marriage.. 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. Tennessee courts generally cannot order parents to pay for college education. T.C.A. 36-5-101 does not provide for mandatory post-secondary education support. However, parents may voluntarily agree to contribute to college costs as part of a divorce settlement or parenting plan, and courts can enforce such voluntary agreements. The court cannot independently compel a parent to pay college expenses absent such an agreement.

Modifying Tennessee Child Support

When to modify: A significant variance of at least 15% between the existing order amount and the proposed recalculated amount constitutes grounds for modification. For low-income obligors, the threshold is 7.5%. The variance must result from a substantial and material change in circumstances since the original order was entered. Common triggers include: significant increase or decrease in either parent’s income, job loss, disability, incarceration, change in parenting time, change in number of children, change in childcare or healthcare costs, or a child aging out of the order. Either parent may request a review every three years even without demonstrating changed circumstances, though a significant variance must still exist to warrant modification.

How to modify: Either parent may request a review and adjustment through the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) Child Support Program, which provides administrative review services. Parents can also file a petition to modify directly with the court (Chancery or Circuit Court) in the county where the original order was entered. Through TDHS, parents can request a review every 36 months or at any time if there is a significant change in circumstances. The petitioning parent bears the burden of proving the 15% (or 7.5%) significant variance. The court or TDHS recalculates support using the current guidelines worksheet and current income data.

Either parent can request a modification. Changes are typically not retroactive to before the date of filing the modification request.

Tennessee Child Support Enforcement

Tennessee has multiple tools to enforce child support orders when a parent fails to pay:

• Income withholding orders (wage garnishment — Tennessee law directs that all child support be paid by wage assignment unless good cause exists not to); federal and state tax refund intercept; lottery winnings intercept; liens on real estate
• vehicles
• and other property; suspension of driver’s licenses; suspension of professional and occupational licenses; suspension of recreational licenses (hunting
• fishing); contempt of court (civil and criminal
• including jail time); credit bureau reporting; passport denial (for arrears over 2500 in federal cases); bank account levy/seizure; intercepting workers’ compensation or unemployment benefits; referral to the U.S. Attorney for federal prosecution under the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act for crossing state lines to avoid support obligations.

Contact Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) — Child Support Program (also referred to as Child Support Services or CSS) at https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-support-services.html for enforcement assistance.

Additional Tennessee rules: (1) Tennessee uses a detailed parenting time adjustment built into the worksheet — standard parenting days (0-92 days per year with the alternate residential parent) use Worksheet A, while equal or nearly-equal parenting time (110+ days each) uses Worksheet B, and split parenting (each parent is primary for at least one child) uses Worksheet C. (2) The Child Support Schedule covers combined adjusted gross incomes from 0 to 30000 per month for 1 to 6+ children. (3) A low-income provider adjustment exists: if the obligor’s income falls below the poverty level, a reduced minimum order may apply. (4) Social Security disability benefits paid directly to the child on the obligor’s behalf are credited toward the obligor’s child support obligation. (5) Tennessee requires all child support payments to be processed through the Tennessee Child Support Payment System (TCSES) at https://apps.tn.gov/tcses/ rather than directly between parents. (6) The “willful” standard for imputed income (rather than “voluntary”) was adopted in the 2020 guidelines revision.

Official Sources & Resources

• Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) — Child Support Program (also referred to as Child Support Services or CSS): https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-support-services.html
• Federal OCSE: acf.hhs.gov/css
• Cornell LII — Child Support: law.cornell.edu
• Tennessee Guidelines Statute: T.C.A. 36-5-101 (Child Support Order statute) and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 1240-02-04 (Child Support Guidelines regulations, sections .01 through .09). Key sections: 1240-02-04-.03 (Income Shares Model), 1240-02-04-.04 (Determination of Child Support / Income Definition), 1240-02-04-.05 (Modification), 1240-02-04-.06 (Retroactive Support), 1240-02-04-.07 (Deviations), 1240-02-04-.08 (Worksheets), 1240-02-04-.09 (Child Support Schedule). Guidelines most recently revised effective October 1, 2021.

Last verified April 2026. Contact us if you notice outdated information.

Estimate Your Child Support

Use our free child support estimator to calculate estimated monthly payments. Enter both parents’ incomes, number of children, and custody arrangement to see a personalized breakdown based on your state’s formula.

Related Guides

• Tennessee Divorce Process Guide
• Tennessee Child Custody Guide
• Tennessee Alimony Guide
• All Child Support Guides