Washington Child Support Calculator (2026)

Washington combines both parents' net incomes, reads a per-child amount from the economic table in RCW 26.19.020, and assigns the paying parent a share proportional to income. The table was rewritten effective January 1, 2026 and now runs to $50,000 of combined monthly net income.

Figures reviewed September 29, 20265 primary sources

Estimated monthly child support

$786per month

Parent A pays Parent B.

Per year: $9,432

How we got there

Parent A monthly net income	$4,957
Parent B monthly net income	$2,994
Combined monthly net income	$7,951
Economic table amount per child (1-child family)	$1,261
Basic support obligation for 1 child	$1,261
Parent A (paying parent) share of income	62.3%
Parent A share of basic support	$786

Washington has no formula for shared residential schedules; a residential credit is a discretionary deviation under RCW 26.19.075.
Net income is estimated with the 2026 federal standard deduction, Social Security and Medicare; Washington has no income tax on wages.

Standing assumptions

Economic table from RCW 26.19.020 as amended effective January 1, 2026.
45% of net income limit and $50 per child minimum from RCW 26.19.065, using the 2026 federal poverty guideline.
Taxes estimated for a single filer with the 2026 federal standard deduction.

Estimate only. Not legal advice.

Key 2026 numbers for Washington

Table range: $2,200 to $50,000; Combined monthly net income, effective January 1, 2026; previously capped at $12,000.
Maximum share of net: 45%; A parent's total support may not exceed 45% of net income except for good cause.
Minimum per child: $50 / month; Presumptive amount for a parent below 125% of the federal poverty guideline.
Shared residence: No formula; A residential credit is a discretionary deviation, not an automatic adjustment.

How Washington calculates child support

Chapter 26.19 RCW sets the Washington State Child Support Schedule. Each parent's gross income is reduced to net income, the two net incomes are combined, and the economic table in RCW 26.19.020 gives a presumptive amount per child based on combined income and the number of children in the family. The basic obligation is the per-child amount multiplied by the number of children. Each parent's proportional share is their net income divided by the combined figure, and the parent with whom the children do not primarily reside pays their share as the transfer payment.

Engrossed House Bill 1014 replaced the table effective January 1, 2026. The old table stopped at $12,000 of combined net income; the new one is presumptive up to $50,000, and a court may go higher only with written findings.

Net income

RCW 26.19.071 counts income from all sources, including salary, overtime, bonuses, self-employment, dividends, pensions and Social Security. Deductions to reach net income are federal and state income taxes, FICA, mandatory pension contributions, mandatory union dues, state industrial insurance premiums, court-ordered spousal maintenance actually paid, and up to $5,000 per year in voluntary retirement contributions if made for at least two years before filing. Washington has no state income tax on wages, so this estimate deducts federal income tax and FICA.

Limits on the paying parent

Two rules in RCW 26.19.065 protect low-income parents. The basic support obligation may not exceed 45% of a parent's net income except for good cause, and a parent whose net income is below 125% of the federal poverty guideline pays the presumptive minimum of $50 per child per month. At the other end, the court may set support above the $50,000 row when the parents' income and lifestyle justify it.

Residential schedules and deviations

Unlike many states, Washington has no automatic adjustment for shared residential time. RCW 26.19.075 lets the court deviate from the standard calculation when the children spend a significant amount of time with the paying parent, but only if that parent still has enough income to meet the children's basic needs in both households, and the deviation requires written findings. Other deviation grounds include children from other relationships, extraordinary income of a child, and special medical or educational needs.

Daycare, health care and other expenses

Reasonable daycare, education, long-distance transportation and the children's health insurance premiums are shared in the same proportion as basic support and added to the transfer payment. Uninsured medical expenses are also split proportionally. The court can order either parent to provide health insurance when it is available at reasonable cost.

Duration, post-secondary support and modification

Support normally ends when the child turns 18 or finishes high school, whichever is later. A parent may petition for post-secondary educational support under RCW 26.19.090 before the existing order ends, and the court can order both parents to contribute to college costs. Orders can be modified on a substantial change in circumstances, and RCW 26.09.170 allows adjustments after 24 months based on changes in income without proving a substantial change.

Worked example

Parent A has $6,000 in monthly net income and Parent B has $4,000, so combined net income is $10,000 and Parent A's share is 60%.
The economic table lists a per-child amount for a two-child family at $10,000; multiplying by two children gives the basic support obligation.
The children live primarily with Parent B, so Parent A pays 60% of the basic obligation.
Daycare and health insurance paid by Parent B are added at Parent A's 60% share.

Parent A pays Parent B 60% of the basic obligation plus 60% of daycare and health insurance, subject to the 45% cap.

Washington child support questions

Does 50/50 custody reduce child support in Washington?

Not automatically. The standard calculation ignores residential time. The paying parent can ask for a residential credit deviation, which the court grants only with findings that the children's needs in both homes are met.

What changed on January 1, 2026?

The economic table in RCW 26.19.020 was rewritten with updated amounts and extended from $12,000 to $50,000 of combined monthly net income, so higher-income families now have a presumptive amount instead of a discretionary one.

Is there a cap on child support in Washington?

Yes. A parent's support obligation may not exceed 45% of their net income except for good cause, and the table stops at $50,000 of combined net income, above which the court must make findings.

Can I be ordered to pay for college?

Yes. Washington allows post-secondary educational support if the petition is filed before the support order ends, considering the child's aptitude, the parents' resources and the type of education.

Where is the official Washington calculator?

The Division of Child Support publishes a child support estimator and the official worksheets, which apply the same economic table and deductions.

Sources

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