How to Calculate Child Support Payments in Indiana

How to Use the Indiana Child Support Calculator

To calculate the amount of support under Indiana's current child support guidelines, you can use the official Indiana Child Support Calculator.

You'll need to have some basic information on hand before using the calculator, including:

• both parents' income
• what your physical custody (parenting time) arrangements will be
• your expenses for the child's health insurance coverage and work-related child care
• how much you're paying (or receiving) in spousal maintenance (alimony), and
• the amount either parent is paying for any existing child support orders.

If you're still negotiating issues like custody and alimony, you might try multiple calculations under different scenarios.

The calculator will create the worksheets that you'll need to submit in your divorce or other child support case (more on that below).You can find more information on how the calculation works, including what counts as income, in the Indiana Child Support Rules and Guidelines.

Are Other Child Support Calculators Accurate?

Watch out for other websites with so-called child support calculators for Indiana. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that these calculators are accurate and up-to-date. Indiana updates its child support guidelines regularly, and there's no way of knowing whether any of these other websites have kept up with the latest changes or include all of the adjustments allowed in the guidelines.

It's best to stick with the official state calculator to get the most accurate estimate of the amount of child support you may pay or receive. Be aware, however, that the judge may order a different amount in your case (more on that below). Of course, the accuracy of the child support calculation will also depend on the accuracy of the information you provide.

When Child Support May Be Different Than the Guideline Calculation

Indiana presumes that the amount calculated under the guidelines is appropriate, but you may argue that a different amount would be better in your situation. Whether you and the child's other parent have agreed on a support amount that departs from the guideline or a judge decides for you, the judge will have to find that using the amount calculated under the guidelines would be unreasonable, unjust or inappropriate.

The guidelines give some examples of circumstances that might warrant a deviation from the calculated amount, including when:

• parents have to pay significant travel costs to exercise parenting time
• parents are providing support for their own elderly parents
• the parents share the child's fixed expenses
• the children spend different numbers of overnights with the noncustodial parent (the one who doesn't have physical custody of the kids most of the time)
• the noncustodial parent (who typically pays child support) has extraordinary medical expenses, or
• a parent who's a service member receives housing from the military.

(Ind. Child Support Rules and Guidelines, Guideline 1.)

How to Apply for Child Support in Indiana

Typically, you'll apply for child support as part of the process of filing for divorce in Indiana. You'll need to include your completed child support worksheets along with the other divorce papers.

If you aren't married to your child's other parent, you may get help with requesting support by applying for child support services from the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). If needed, the DCS may also help with establishing the child's legal paternity and locating absent parents.

How to Collect Child Support in Indiana

The Indiana State Central Collection Unit (INSCCU) will collect and process all court-ordered child support payments.

If you're having trouble collecting support payments, the Indiana DCS can also help enforce court-ordered child support. Depending on how much the other parent owes, the department has several ways of enforcing child support, including withholding support from paychecks, reporting the debt to credit bureaus, intercepting income tax refunds, intercepting workers' compensation or unemployment benefits, seizing money from bank accounts, placing liens on property (so the delinquent parent can't sell it or borrow money before paying off the debt), and suspending the parent's driver's or other licenses.

How to Change the Amount of Child Support

Either parent may request a modification in the amount of child support in Indiana. But a judge won't modify the order unless you can demonstrate that:

• there has been a significant and continuing change in circumstances that makes the current amount unreasonable, or
• it's been at least a year since the existing order was issued, and the amount in that order is at least 20% higher or lower than the guideline calculation under your current circumstances.

(Ind. Code § 31-16-8-1 (2024); Ind. Child Support Rules and Guidelines, Guideline 4.)

You may request a review of your current child support order from the Indiana DCS. You also have the option of filing a request directly with the court. But without DCS assistance, you should consider speaking with a family lawyer.