How to Calculate Indiana Child Support Step by Step

May 29, 2026

Before You Begin

You need:

Both parents’ most recent pay stubs or tax returns
Court orders showing any prior child support or spousal maintenance obligations
Childcare expense documentation (daycare receipts)
Health insurance premium breakdown showing the children’s portion

Indiana courts use weekly income as the standard unit. Convert all income to weekly:

Hourly: hours/week × hourly rate
Bi-weekly: bi-weekly pay ÷ 2
Semi-monthly: semi-monthly pay × 24 / 52
Monthly: monthly pay × 12 / 52
Annual: annual income ÷ 52

Step 1 — Calculate Weekly Gross Income

Include all income sources for both parents. Do not deduct taxes — use gross (pre-tax) amounts.

Example:

NCP: $42,000 annual salary → $42,000 ÷ 52 = $807.69/week
CP: $28,000 annual salary → $28,000 ÷ 52 = $538.46/week

Step 2 — Apply Adjustments

Subtract court-ordered prior child support and spousal maintenance:

Example: NCP pays $150/week for a child from a prior relationship.

NCP adjusted = $807.69 − $150.00 = $657.69
CP adjusted = $538.46 − $0 = $538.46
CWAI = $657.69 + $538.46 = $1,196.15

Step 3 — Look Up the BSO

Find the CWAI in the Indiana Guideline Schedule and look up the Basic Support Obligation for your number of children.

For CWAI = $1,196.15 with 1 child: BSO ≈ $218/week (from the 2024 schedule).

Step 4 — Add Childcare and Insurance

Add weekly work-related childcare and the children’s health insurance portion:

Example: $200/week daycare, $35/week insurance.

TSO = $218 + $200 + $35 = $453/week

NCP proportion = $657.69 / $1,196.15 = 54.98% ≈ 55%

NCP raw obligation = $453 × 0.55 = $249.15/week

Step 6 — Apply Parenting Time Credit (if applicable)

If NCP has 52+ overnights per year, apply the parenting time credit to their share of the BSO only:

Example: NCP has 104 overnights. Credit = 14%.

PTC = $218 × 0.55 × 0.14 = $16.78
Final obligation = $249.15 − $16.78 = $232.37/week

Monthly equivalent: $232.37 × 52 / 12 = $1,007.27/month

Step 7 — Complete the Official Worksheet

For court filings, the Child Support Obligation Worksheet (CSOW) must be completed on the official Indiana Judicial Branch system. The worksheet is the official court document — informal calculations are not accepted as court filings.

Access the official worksheet generator at in.gov/courts.

Common Mistakes

Using net income instead of gross — Indiana uses pre-tax gross income throughout
Including SSI — Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is excluded from gross income
Forgetting the children’s-only health insurance portion — use only the premium attributable to the children, not the full family policy cost
Using the wrong credit table — the parenting time credit changed in 2024; old tables give different results

For a complete automated calculation using the 2024 guidelines, use the Indiana child support calculator with your income, parenting time, and add-on figures.