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.