Calculate Child Support Payments in Arkansas  

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 Arkansas.

How to Get a Child Support Order in Arkansas

In the state of Arkansas, parents are legally obligated to provide financial support to their children until they reach the age of 18 or have graduated from high school (whichever is later). When parents separate or divorce the non-custodial parent is expected to make regular payments of child support to the custodial parent.

Child support is only legally enforceable when a child support order is established through the courts. Many divorcing couples incorporate a child support order into a divorce judgment. Sometimes, parents choose to have an informal child support agreement. All too often, though, such informal arrangements do not work out as anticipated and custodial parents are left with the brunt of the expense of raising a child.

If you need to establish a child support order in Arkansas, you may submit an application with the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). A $25 non-refundable application fee is required of all families who do not receive public assistance. OCSE can not only help you determine the amount of child support to collect, but they also have services to help establish paternity and locate absent parents.

When applying for child support through OCSE, you must be able to provide the following information (additional information may also be required):

• The non-custodial parent's identifying information, including name, address, social security number and employer.
• The non-custodial parent's financial information, including income and assets.
• Birth certificates of your children.

The amount of child support is determined by first establishing the financial needs of the child and then assessing the non-custodial parent's ability to pay. Once an order is in place, child support is usually collected through income withholding to ensure that payments are made consistently and in a timely manner every month.