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Utah Child Support Calculator

Updated Sep 11, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas
Important: Enter each parent's gross monthly income — income before taxes and deductions. Using net (take-home) pay will produce inaccurate results.
Parent Income
Gross income before taxes, including wages, self-employment, and other sources.
Gross income before taxes, including wages, self-employment, and other sources.
Number of Children
2
2 children
Enter the total number of children included in this support order.
Custody Arrangement
Under Utah law, joint physical custody applies when a parent has 111 or more overnights per year (about 30% of the year).
The other parent is treated as non-custodial and pays their proportional share.
Additional Monthly Costs (Optional)
Monthly cost of health insurance premiums attributable to the children only, paid by either parent.
Monthly work-related childcare or daycare expenses, which Utah guidelines allow in the support calculation.
Under Utah Code §78B-12-212(7) and §78B-12-214, the other parent reimburses exactly 50% of these costs.
Your Utah Support Estimate
Estimated Monthly Child Support
$596.50
Based on these inputs, Parent 2 would pay this amount to Parent 1.

How This Was Calculated

Step-by-Step Solution
Obligation Comparison
Support vs. Overnights with Parent 1

Introduction

This Utah Child Support Calculator estimates monthly child support under Utah's guidelines. Enter each parent's gross monthly income, the number of children, and your custody plan, and the estimate appears right away.

Utah uses an "income shares" model. Both parents' incomes are added together to find a base support amount from the state schedule. Each parent then pays a share of that amount based on how much they earn. If you share custody with 111 or more overnights a year, the calculator also adjusts for parenting time under Utah Code §78B-12-208.

You can add monthly health insurance premiums for the children and work-related child care costs. Utah law splits these costs evenly between parents, so the calculator adds a 50% reimbursement to the final number.

The results show who pays, how much, and a full step-by-step breakdown so you can see how every number was found. This is an estimate for planning only. A judge may order a different amount, so talk to a Utah family law attorney before you make any decisions.

How to use our Utah Child Support Calculator

Enter both parents' gross monthly income, how many children you have, your custody setup, and any health or child care costs. The calculator shows your estimated monthly child support payment, who pays it, and a step-by-step breakdown based on Utah's support schedule.

Parent 1 Monthly Gross Income: Type Parent 1's income each month before taxes are taken out. Include wages, tips, self-employment pay, and other income.

Parent 2 Monthly Gross Income: Type Parent 2's gross monthly income the same way. Do not use take-home pay, or your results will be wrong.

Annual income switch: Turn this on if you only know yearly pay. Enter each parent's gross yearly income, and the tool divides it by 12 for you.

Number of children: Drag the slider or type the number of children covered by this support order. Utah's schedule covers 1 to 6 children; more than 6 gives an estimate.

Custody arrangement: Pick "Sole Custody" if one parent has the kids most nights. Pick "Joint Physical Custody" if each parent has 111 or more overnights a year.

Primary custodial parent: With sole custody, choose the parent the children live with most. The other parent pays their share of support.

Overnights per year with Parent 1: With joint custody, set how many nights a year the children sleep at Parent 1's home (111 to 365). Parent 2 gets the rest of the nights.

Monthly health insurance premium for children: Enter the monthly cost to insure the children only. Leave it at 0 if you want to skip it.

Monthly child care / daycare costs: Enter what you pay each month for work-related daycare or child care. Utah lets these costs count in the math.

These optional costs are paid by: Choose the parent who pays the insurance and child care bills. Utah law has the other parent pay back half.

Calculate and Reset: Results update as you type, but you can press Calculate to refresh them. Press Reset Calculator to clear your entries and start over.

Utah Child Support: What You Need to Know

Utah uses an income shares model to set child support. The goal is that a child gets about the same share of money they would have gotten if both parents lived together. The court adds both parents' incomes together, finds the total support amount for that income level, and then splits it between the parents based on how much each one earns.

Gross Income, Not Take-Home Pay

Utah child support is based on gross monthly income. That is your pay before taxes, insurance, and other deductions come out. Gross income can include wages, tips, bonuses, commissions, self-employment profit, rental income, Social Security benefits, and unemployment pay. If a parent is not working or is working below their ability on purpose, a judge can assign them imputed income based on what they could earn.

The Utah Support Schedule

Utah law (Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 12) includes tables that show the base child support obligation for each combined income level and number of children. More children means a higher total amount, but the amount per child goes down as the number of children goes up. Each parent then pays their percentage share of that base amount. The parent the kids live with most is assumed to spend their share directly on the children, so the other parent pays their share as monthly support.

The 111-Overnight Rule

Custody time changes the math. Utah counts overnights per year:

  • Sole physical custody: one parent has the children fewer than 111 nights a year. The other parent pays their full share.
  • Joint physical custody: both parents have at least 111 overnights (about 30% of the year). Each parent gets credit for the nights over 110, and the two amounts are offset. Only the difference gets paid.

Because of the offset, a parent with more parenting time and more income can still owe support. A 50/50 split does not always mean zero support.

Health Insurance and Child Care

Medical insurance premiums for the children and work-related child care costs are handled separately from the base amount. Under Utah law, parents split these costs equally, 50/50, no matter what each parent earns. If one parent pays the bill, the other parent pays back half. That half is added to or taken off the monthly support amount.

High Incomes and Other Changes

The published Utah table tops out at a combined income of about $8,333 a month ($100,000 a year). Above that, a judge can order more support than the table shows. Judges can also change the guideline amount if following it would be unfair, such as when a child has special medical needs or a parent has other support orders.

Changing an Order

A Utah child support order can be reviewed if there is a big change, like a job loss, a raise, a change in custody, or if three years have passed and the guideline amount is at least 10% different from the current order. Support usually lasts until the child turns 18 or finishes high school, whichever comes later.

This tool gives an estimate only. It is not legal advice. A judge or the Utah Office of Recovery Services sets the final amount.

Formulas used

Combined monthly gross income
C = I_1 + I_2
Each parent's share of combined income
s_1 = \frac{I_1}{C}, \qquad s_2 = \frac{I_2}{C}
Base combined obligation (linear interpolation of the Utah schedule)
B = B_{lo} + \frac{C - C_{lo}}{C_{hi} - C_{lo}} \times \left(B_{hi} - B_{lo}\right), \qquad B \ge 30
Base obligation extension for more than 6 children
B_{k} = B_{6} \times \left[1 + 0.055 \times (k - 6)\right], \qquad k > 6
Each parent's proportional share of the base obligation
O_1 = s_1 \times B, \qquad O_2 = s_2 \times B
Joint physical custody adjustment factors (overnights with Parent 1 = n)
\text{adj}_1 = \frac{475 - n}{365}, \qquad \text{adj}_2 = \frac{110 + n}{365}
Net support flow (joint custody offset, or sole custody)
F_{base} = O_1 \times \text{adj}_1 - O_2 \times \text{adj}_2 \quad \text{(joint)}, \qquad F_{base} = \begin{cases} -O_2 & \text{Parent 1 custodial} \\ O_1 & \text{Parent 2 custodial} \end{cases}
Add-on cost reimbursement and final monthly support
F = F_{base} \pm 0.5 \times \left(H + D\right), \qquad \text{Support} = \left| F \right|

Frequently asked questions

At what age does child support end in Utah?

Child support in Utah normally ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school with their class, whichever happens later. It can end sooner if the child marries, joins the military, becomes legally emancipated, or dies.

Support can last longer if the child has a disability that started before age 18 and makes them unable to support themselves.

Does child support go down when one child turns 18?

Not on its own. In Utah, the order does not drop automatically for each child. A parent must ask the court or the Office of Recovery Services to change the amount.

When the amount is recalculated, support is based on the number of children still covered. Because the per-child amount is higher with fewer kids, the drop is smaller than a simple split of the old amount.

Do you still pay child support with 50/50 custody in Utah?

Often, yes. With equal overnights, Utah still compares each parent's income. The parent who earns more usually pays the difference to the other parent.

Support only comes out near zero when both parents earn close to the same amount and split time evenly.

How many overnights a year is joint physical custody in Utah?

A parent needs 111 or more overnights a year for joint physical custody. That is about 30% of the year.

At 110 overnights or fewer, Utah treats the arrangement as sole physical custody, and the parent with less time pays their full share with no overnight credit.

What counts as gross income for Utah child support?

Utah counts most money a parent receives before taxes, including:

  • Wages, salary, tips, bonuses, and commissions
  • Self-employment profit after business expenses
  • Rental income and royalties
  • Social Security benefits, disability, and workers' comp
  • Unemployment pay, pensions, and annuities
  • Interest, dividends, and trust income

Utah does not count means-tested help like SNAP, general assistance, or a new spouse's income.

What is imputed income in a Utah child support case?

Imputed income is income a judge assigns to a parent who is not working or is working below their ability on purpose. The judge then calculates support as if that parent earned that amount.

The judge looks at work history, training, education, and local jobs. If there is little proof, income may be imputed at full-time work at the federal minimum wage. A judge usually will not impute income to a parent caring for a child under 12 months old.

How do you change a child support order in Utah?

You file a petition to modify with the court or ask the Office of Recovery Services for a review. You need one of these:

  • A big change, such as a 30% or more change in income that lasts, a job loss, or a change in custody
  • Three years have passed since the order and the new guideline amount differs by 10% or more

Support does not change until the court approves it, so file quickly after the change happens.

Who claims the child on taxes in Utah child support cases?

Utah judges often split the tax exemption between parents based on income share, but it depends on the order. The default IRS rule gives the credit to the parent the child lives with most nights.

If the other parent claims the child, the custodial parent must sign IRS Form 8332. Utah courts can also require a parent to be current on support before claiming the child.

Does child support cover medical bills in Utah?

No. The base amount covers food, housing, clothing, and everyday needs. Medical costs are handled separately.

Parents split the children's health insurance premiums 50/50. They also split out-of-pocket medical, dental, and eye care costs 50/50. The parent who pays a bill must ask the other parent for their half, usually within 30 days.

What happens if you do not pay child support in Utah?

Unpaid support builds up as debt and earns interest. Utah can:

  • Take money straight from your paycheck
  • Seize tax refunds and bank accounts
  • Suspend your driver's, hunting, or professional license
  • Report the debt to credit bureaus
  • Deny or revoke a passport
  • Hold you in contempt of court, with fines or jail

Child support debt does not go away in bankruptcy. If you cannot pay, ask the court to change the order instead of skipping payments.

How is child support figured when a parent has kids from another relationship?

Utah allows a deduction for children from another relationship who live with the parent or who are covered by a prior support order. The parent must prove they actually support those children.

The deduction lowers the gross income used in the calculation, which lowers the support amount for the current case. Children born after the current order usually carry less weight.

Is child support taxable income in Utah?

No. Child support is not taxed as income for the parent who receives it, and the parent who pays cannot deduct it on federal or Utah taxes.

This is different from alimony, which also is not deductible for divorces finalized after 2018.

What is the minimum child support payment in Utah?

Utah sets a floor of about $30 a month for parents with very low or no income. A judge can apply this base amount even when a parent reports zero earnings.

The idea is that every parent contributes something. The court can raise this if it finds the parent could earn more.

Can parents agree to no child support in Utah?

Parents can agree on an amount, but a judge must approve it. Utah courts can reject a deal that pays less than the guideline amount if it does not serve the child.

To go below the guideline, you must give a written reason the court accepts, such as a shared expense plan or a child's special situation. A private handshake deal is not enforceable.

How does child care cost affect Utah child support?

Work-related or school-related child care is added on top of the base support amount. Both parents split it 50/50, no matter who earns more.

Only actual, reasonable costs count. The parent who pays daycare must share receipts, and the other parent must pay half. If the child care stops, the payment for it stops too.

Does remarriage change child support in Utah?

No. A new spouse's income is not counted in the child support calculation. Utah only looks at the two legal parents' incomes.

Remarriage by itself is not a reason to change an order. But if remarriage changes the paying parent's own income or living costs in a big way, that could matter in a review.

How long does it take to get child support in Utah?

If you file through the Office of Recovery Services, setting up a new order often takes about 3 to 6 months. It can take longer if the other parent must be located or if paternity must be proven.

Once an income withholding order goes to the employer, payments usually start within a few pay periods.

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