South Carolina Child Support Calculator & Guide (2025)

Overview of South Carolina Child Support

South Carolina uses the Income Shares Model under S.C. Code §63-17-1530. Both parents' gross incomes are combined to determine the support obligation, following the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have enjoyed if the parents lived together.

South Carolina updated its child support guidelines to adopt the Income Shares Model, providing a more comprehensive approach that considers both parents' financial resources when determining support obligations.

How Child Support Is Calculated in South Carolina

The South Carolina child support formula works as follows:

1. Determine each parent's monthly gross income: Include wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, and other sources
2. Calculate combined monthly gross income for both parents
3. Find the base obligation from the South Carolina child support schedule based on combined income and number of children
4. Allocate each parent's share proportionally based on their percentage of combined income
5. Add health insurance premiums for the child
6. Add work-related childcare costs
7. Add extraordinary expenses shared proportionally between the parents

Key Factors in South Carolina Calculations

Gross Income Basis

South Carolina uses gross income for child support calculations. This includes all income from all sources before taxes and deductions, ensuring a complete view of each parent's financial capacity to support their children.

Self-Support Reserve

South Carolina maintains a self-support reserve of $1,026 per month (2024). This ensures that the parent obligated to pay support retains enough income to meet their own basic living needs. If the support calculation would leave the obligor below this threshold, the obligation may be reduced.

Shared Custody Adjustments

South Carolina provides adjustments for shared custody arrangements. When both parents have significant parenting time with the child, the support calculation may be adjusted to account for the duplicated expenses each parent incurs during their parenting time.

Extraordinary Expenses

Extraordinary expenses such as special educational needs, medical expenses not covered by insurance, and other unique costs related to the child may be shared proportionally between the parents, in addition to the base support obligation.

Minimum and Maximum Amounts

Minimum: South Carolina does not have a fixed statutory minimum, but the self-support reserve ensures the obligor retains at least $1,026/month for their own needs.

Maximum: The support schedule extends to higher combined income levels, and the court has discretion for high-income cases above the schedule.

Modification and Enforcement

Modification

South Carolina allows modification when:

• There has been a substantial change in circumstances
• A significant change in either parent's income has occurred
• Custody or visitation arrangements have changed
• The child's needs have materially changed

Enforcement

The South Carolina Department of Social Services - Child Support Services enforces child support through:

• Income withholding from paychecks
• Tax refund interception
• Driver's license suspension
• Professional license suspension
• Credit bureau reporting
• Contempt of court proceedings
• Liens on property and financial accounts

Get your South Carolina estimate: Use our free South Carolina child support calculator to see what you might owe or receive under South Carolina guidelines.