Calculate Child Support Payments in Tennessee  

To use the child support calculator, select or enter the appropriate information next to each statement.

When you have completed the form, click on the calculate button to get an estimate of the amount of child support that the non-custodial parent will have to pay to the custodial parent in Tennessee.

How Child Support Services through the Tennessee Department of Human Services can help you

The Tennessee Department of Human Services has a child support program in place to help families needing assistance with matters related to child support. The main services they provide include:

• Determining Paternity: Legal paternity must be established in order to get a child support order from the court. The Tennessee Department of Human Services can help determine paternity in instances where a child is born out of wedlock or in instances where paternity is in question.
• Finding Missing Parents: In order to establish a legally enforceable child support order, you must be able to locate your child's absentee parent. If you do not know how to contact your child's other parent or do not know where your child's other parent lives, the Tennessee Department of Human Services can help you locate the non-custodial parent so that a child support order can be established or enforced.
• Establishing Child Support: Child support must be formalized through the court, but the Tennessee Department of Human Services has the ability to help you through the process. They can determine the amount of monthly child support owed by using state child support guidelines and then filing a petition to request a child support order through the court.
• Modifying Child Support: Over time, child support orders may need to be readdressed or modified. To qualify for a modification in child support, there must be a significant change in the amount of monthly child support. The specific requirements that must be met can be found in the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines, 1240-2-4-.05. In most circumstance, modifications will be calculated under the Income Shares Guidelines. The Tennessee Department of Human Services can help you through this process.
• Enforcing Child Support: If you are having difficulty receiving child support from a non-custodial parent, the Tennessee Department of Human Services can help enforce court-ordered child support. There are a number of legal actions the department can take to enforce child support orders, such as: income withholding, liens on property, license revocation, denial of passports and reporting to the credit bureaus for past due payments. The method used to enforce a child support order will depend on the specific circumstances of the case.

You may apply for child support services through your local child support office. If you receive public assistance (i.e, TANF), you will automatically be enrolled for child support services.