Child Support
Fam. Code 154.125 — a share of the paying parent's net resources, until 18 or high school graduation
A court may order either or both parents to support a child until the child is 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, until the child is emancipated through marriage, a court order removing the disabilities of minority, or other operation of law, or until the child's death. For a child who is disabled as the chapter defines it, support can be ordered for an indefinite period.
Who handles this in Texas: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Texas directory.
| Children | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources | Where those are under $1,000 a month |
|---|---|---|
| Children1 | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources20% | Where those are under $1,000 a month15% |
| Children2 | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources25% | Where those are under $1,000 a month20% |
| Children3 | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources30% | Where those are under $1,000 a month25% |
| Children4 | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources35% | Where those are under $1,000 a month30% |
| Children5 | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resources40% | Where those are under $1,000 a month35% |
| Children6 or more | Share of the paying parent's monthly net resourcesNot less than the amount for 5 children | Where those are under $1,000 a monthNot less than the amount for 5 children |
A presumption, up to a ceiling. The court presumptively applies that schedule where the paying parent's monthly net resources are not above the maximum the Title IV-D agency most recently published in the Texas Register. The maximum is adjusted every six years for inflation, taking effect September 1 of the year of the adjustment.
Unless agreed otherwise in writing or written into the order, a support order ends on the child's marriage, the removal of the child's disabilities for general purposes, the child's death, a court finding that a child 18 or older has not met the school enrollment or attendance requirements, or the child beginning active service in the armed forces of the United States.
The schedule is the starting presumption rather than the whole calculation. How it applies to a particular income, and whether an order has ended, are questions for a licensed Texas attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Fam. Code 154.125 — Application of guidelines to net resources
- Fam. Code 154.001 — Support of child
- Fam. Code 154.006 — Termination of duty of support
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.