Tennessee Child Support Calculator & Guide (2025)

Overview of Tennessee Child Support

Tennessee uses the Income Shares Model under T.C.A. §36-5-101. Both parents' gross incomes are combined to determine the support obligation, based on the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have enjoyed if the parents lived together.

Tennessee's Child Support Guidelines include several notable provisions, including a minimum support order of $100 per month, shared parenting adjustments, and the potential consideration of extraordinary educational expenses.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Tennessee

The Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 childcare costs
7. Consider extraordinary educational expenses if applicable
8. Apply per capita credit for other qualifying children

Key Factors in Tennessee Calculations

Gross Income Basis

Tennessee uses gross income for child support calculations. This includes all income from all sources before taxes and deductions, ensuring a comprehensive view of each parent's financial resources available for child support.

Minimum Support Order

Tennessee requires a minimum support order of $100 per month in every case. This minimum ensures that some level of financial support is always ordered, regardless of the parents' financial circumstances.

Self-Support Reserve

Tennessee maintains a self-support reserve of $1,040 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 Parenting Adjustments

Tennessee provides adjustments for shared parenting arrangements. When both parents have significant parenting time with the child, the support calculation accounts for the duplicated expenses each parent incurs during their parenting time.

Extraordinary Educational Expenses

Tennessee allows the court to consider extraordinary educational expenses as part of the child support calculation. This can include private school tuition, tutoring, and other special educational needs that go beyond basic education.

Minimum and Maximum Amounts

Minimum: $100 per month is the minimum support order in Tennessee.

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

Tennessee allows modification when:

• There is a significant variance (typically 15% change) in circumstances
• A significant change in either parent's income has occurred
• Custody or parenting time arrangements have changed
• The child's needs have materially changed

Enforcement

The Tennessee Department of Human 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 Tennessee estimate: Use our free Tennessee child support calculator to see what you might owe or receive under Tennessee guidelines.