Arkansas Child Support Calculator & Guide (2025)

Overview of Arkansas Child Support

Arkansas uses the Income Shares Model under Administrative Order No. 10 of the Arkansas Supreme Court. This model is based on the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the parents had remained together.

Both parents' gross incomes are combined to determine the total support obligation from the Family Support Chart, and each parent contributes their proportional share. Arkansas also provides adjustments for extended parenting time and considers extraordinary medical expenses.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Arkansas

The Arkansas child support formula follows these steps:

1. Determine each parent's gross income: Include wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, and other sources
2. Combine both parents' incomes to find the total household income
3. Look up the basic obligation on the Family Support Chart based on combined income and number of children
4. Add health insurance costs for the child and work-related childcare expenses
5. Allocate the total obligation between parents based on their proportional income shares
6. Apply adjustments for visitation and extraordinary expenses

Key Factors in Arkansas Calculations

Gross Income Definition

Arkansas defines gross income as income from all sources, including:

• Wages, salaries, and bonuses
• Commissions and tips
• Self-employment income
• Interest and dividend income
• Rental income
• Social Security benefits
• Workers' compensation and unemployment benefits

Imputed Income

Arkansas courts may impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. The court can assign an income level based on the parent's earning capacity, work history, education, and job qualifications. This prevents parents from intentionally reducing their income to lower their child support obligation.

Visitation Adjustments

Arkansas allows adjustments for extended parenting time. When the non-custodial parent has significant visitation, the court may reduce the support obligation to account for the direct costs incurred during those periods.

Minimum and Maximum Amounts

Minimum: Arkansas does not have a fixed statutory minimum. The court determines the minimum based on circumstances, but low-income obligors benefit from the self-support reserve of $1,015/month.

Maximum: The Family Support Chart extends to $10,000 in combined monthly income. For incomes above this level, the court has discretion to determine an appropriate amount based on the child's needs.

Modification and Enforcement

Modification

Arkansas allows modification when:

• There has been a material change in circumstances
• A significant increase or decrease in either parent's income
• A change in custody or visitation arrangements
• A change in the child's needs

Enforcement

The Arkansas OCSE (Office of Child Support Enforcement) enforces orders through:

• Income withholding from paychecks
• Tax refund interception (federal and state)
• Driver's license suspension
• Professional license suspension
• Credit bureau reporting
• Contempt of court proceedings
• Liens on property and financial accounts
• Passport denial for arrears over $2,500

Get your Arkansas estimate: Use our free child support calculator to see what you might owe or receive under Arkansas guidelines, or try the Arkansas-specific calculator.