How to Calculate Child Support Payments in Utah

How to Use the Utah Child Support Calculator

To calculate the amount of support under Utah's current child support guidelines, you can use the official Utah Child Support Calculator, which allows you to complete a Child Support Obligation Worksheet. This worksheet will be one of the forms that you'll submit to the court along with your divorce papers and request for child support (more on that below).

You'll use the one worksheet when one parent will have physical custody of the children for more than 225 nights a year. There's a separate worksheet for shared custody—when each parent will have custody of the children for at least 111 nights a year. There's a third worksheet for split custody, which applies when there are multiple children and some will live with one parent and some will live with the other parent.

This means that before you do the calculations, you'll need to know what your custody arrangements will be. If you're still negotiating that issue, you might try different calculations under multiple scenarios.

You'll also need to have some financial information on hand before doing the calculations, like both parents' income and whether either parent pays child support or alimony for a previous marriage.

Are Other Child Support Calculators Accurate?

Watch out for other websites with so-called child support calculators for Utah. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that these calculators are accurate and up-to-date. Utah updates its child support guidelines regularly, and you usually can't tell whether any of these other websites have kept up with the latest changes.

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. But notice that word "estimate." As we discuss in this article, the judge may order a different amount in your case. 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

Utah 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 unjust, inappropriate, or not in the best interest of the child. (Utah Code § 78B-12-210 (2024).)

Learn more about how child support works in Utah, including factors judges must consider when deviating from the guidelines and what gets counted as income when calculating support.

How to Apply for Child Support in Utah

Typically, you'll apply for child support as part of the process of filing for divorce in Utah. You'll include your completed child support worksheet 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 Office of Recovery Services (ORS) in the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. If needed, the ORS may also help with establishing the child's legal paternity or parentage and locating absent parents.

How to Collect Child Support in Utah

The Utah Office of Recovery Services will collect and process all court-ordered child support payments.

If you're having trouble collecting support payments, the Utah ORS can also help enforce court-ordered child support. Depending on how much the other parent owes, the agency 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 Utah. Utah has two ways to ask the court for a change in child support – a Motion to Adjust Child Support and a Petition to Modify Child Support.

You can ask for a change of child support if it has been three or more years since the order was entered and the child support calculation is now 10% different from the existing amount (and the difference is caused by non-temporary changes). If it's been less than three years and the child support calculation is now 15% different from the existing amount, the judge may modify the child support amount if there's been a material change in circumstances, like a custody change, income change, or change in child-related expenses. You can also ask for a modification of child support at any time if there has been a material change in the children's health insurance, child care expenses, or educational expenses. (Utah Code § 78B-12-210 (2024).)

Requesting a modification in child support can be complicated. The Utah Courts website provides detailed information about your options. You may request a review of your current child support order from the Utah ORS. However, the review process could take up to six months (or even longer if the other parent lives in another state). You also have the option of filing a request directly with the court. But without ORS assistance, you should consider speaking with a family lawyer.