Illustration of a 60/40 split chart, bar graph, and icons of two parents and a child

Kentucky and Tennessee both calculate child support using an income shares model. The guidelines estimate what both parents together would spend on their children, based on their combined income and the number of children. That amount is divided between the parents according to each parent's share of the combined income, then adjusted for parenting time, the child's health insurance, and work-related childcare. The parent with less parenting time usually pays their share to the other parent.

Step-by-step: how the calculation works

Step 1: Determine each parent's gross income. This includes wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, and most other income sources. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court can impute income based on what that parent could reasonably earn.

Step 2: Make the allowed adjustments. The guidelines allow certain deductions, such as child support or spousal support a parent already pays under another order.

Step 3: Add the two incomes together. This is the parents' combined income.

Step 4: Find the basic support amount. Each state publishes a guidelines table that lists a basic support amount for each level of combined income and number of children.

Step 5: Divide it by each parent's share of income. If one parent earns 60% of the combined income, that parent is responsible for 60% of the basic support amount.

Step 6: Adjust for parenting time. Both states account for parenting time. In Tennessee, the calculation adjusts once the alternative residential parent's parenting time reaches a set number of days per year. Kentucky's guidelines also include an adjustment for shared parenting time in some cases.

Step 7: Add health insurance and childcare. The cost of the child's health insurance and work-related childcare is generally divided between the parents in proportion to their incomes. Uninsured medical expenses are also typically shared.

Step 8: Consider any deviation. A court can set support above or below the guideline amount when applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate, and it must explain why.

An example

This example is for illustration only. It is not a calculation of anyone's actual support.

  • Parent A earns $6,000 a month, and Parent B earns $4,000 a month.
  • Their combined income is $10,000. Parent A earns 60% of it, and Parent B 40%.
  • Suppose the guidelines table shows a basic support amount of $1,500 a month for their combined income and number of children.
  • Parent A's share is 60%, or $900. Parent B's share is 40%, or $600.
  • If the children live primarily with Parent B, Parent A generally pays their $900 share to Parent B. Parent B's share is presumed to be spent directly on the children.
  • The amount is then adjusted for parenting time, health insurance, and childcare.

What changes the amount?

  • Income changes, such as a raise, a job loss, or a new job
  • Parenting time changes, such as a new schedule or a change in which parent the child lives with
  • Health insurance or childcare costs starting, stopping, or changing
  • Additional children in either parent's household, which the guidelines can account for

Support can be modified when the change is significant enough. In Kentucky, a change that would produce at least a 15% difference in the support amount is presumed to be a material change. In Tennessee, a significant variance, generally a 15% difference, supports a modification. Modifications are generally not retroactive before a request is filed. Read common child support myths.

Can you estimate support yourself?

Yes. Both states publish their guidelines and worksheets, and Tennessee offers an online child support calculator. An estimate is a useful starting point, but the result depends on the details: how income is counted, the parenting schedule, insurance costs, and any deviation. A lawyer can check that the numbers are right before an order is entered.

Does equal parenting time mean no child support?

Not necessarily. With equal or near-equal parenting time, the parent with the higher income may still pay support, though usually less than under a standard schedule.

How Wise & Associates can help

Wise & Associates handles child support cases in Kentucky from its Louisville office and in Tennessee through Wise Law in Nashville, including establishing, modifying, and enforcing support. Fees are staged flat fees, never hourly, with upfront fees from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the case type and how much litigation is required. See how pricing works.

Consultations are free and by phone. Book a time, then call the office at your scheduled time.