Key Takeaways
Connecticut uses an income-based formula. The Connecticut Child Support Guidelines generally start with both parents’ net weekly incomes and use a statewide schedule to calculate the presumptive child support obligation.
Connecticut changed the guidelines in 2026. Revised guidelines took effect August 1, 2026. Among other changes, the schedule now extends through $6,000 in combined net weekly parental income, rather than $4,000 under the prior guidelines.
Courts generally start with the guideline amount. General Statutes § 46b-215b creates a rebuttable presumption that the guideline calculation produces the appropriate support order. A court may deviate when the circumstances satisfy an authorized deviation criterion.
Child support involves more than the weekly payment. The guidelines also address health care coverage, unreimbursed health care expenses, qualifying child care costs, and, in appropriate cases, supplemental support from bonuses or other variable compensation.
Shared parenting does not automatically eliminate child support. Connecticut does not simply cancel support because parents have substantially equal parenting time. Shared physical custody may support a deviation in appropriate circumstances.
High-income families require additional analysis. When combined net weekly income exceeds $6,000, the guidelines establish a framework for determining support above the schedule.
Child support can change over time. General Statutes § 46b-86 allows courts to modify existing support orders under specified circumstances, including a substantial change in circumstances or a substantial deviation from the guidelines.
Introduction
Connecticut uses statewide guidelines to calculate child support, but determining the actual amount can involve considerably more than putting two salaries into a calculator.
For parents, child support often becomes one of the most emotionally charged financial issues in a divorce or parentage case. A parent paying support may wonder why the calculation does not simply reflect the child’s identifiable expenses. A parent receiving support may worry that the guideline amount does not account for the real costs of housing, food, transportation, activities, and maintaining a home for the child.
Both reactions are understandable, but they can result from a misunderstanding of how Connecticut calculates support.
The Connecticut Child Support Guidelines use an Income Shares Model approach. The basic concept is that children should receive financial support based on both parents’ resources and, to the extent possible, share in the level of support they would have received if their parents lived together. The calculation therefore focuses primarily on parental income rather than requiring a parent to prove every dollar actually spent on a child.
The guidelines also address much more than a basic weekly payment. They cover health insurance, unreimbursed medical expenses, qualifying child care costs, variable compensation, shared parenting arrangements, and families whose income exceeds the guideline schedule.
Connecticut also substantially revised this area of law in 2026. New Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines took effect August 1, 2026, including an expanded income schedule that now reaches $6,000 in combined net weekly income.
Understanding how the guidelines work makes the process more predictable. The starting point is determining the presumptive support obligation and then considering whether the circumstances justify a different result.
How Connecticut Calculates Child Support
Connecticut Starts With a Presumptive Guideline Amount
Several related statutes and regulations create Connecticut’s child support framework.
General Statutes § 46b-84 addresses parents’ obligation to support their minor children according to their respective abilities when the children need maintenance. Section 46b-215a authorizes the Commission for Child Support Guidelines to establish the guidelines, while § 46b-215b governs how courts use those guidelines when determining child support.
The guideline calculation does more than provide an optional reference point. Section 46b-215b creates a rebuttable presumption that the amount resulting from application of the guidelines represents the appropriate support order.
As a result, courts generally calculate the presumptive guideline amount first. If a parent seeks a different amount, the court then considers whether an authorized deviation criterion applies.
The Calculation Generally Uses Net Weekly Income
Connecticut generally calculates child support using the parents’ net weekly income, rather than simply comparing annual salaries or gross pay.
The guidelines define income broadly. Depending on the circumstances, gross income may include wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, certain investment income, pensions, and other forms of compensation.
The guidelines then allow specified deductions to determine net weekly income. These may include applicable taxes, certain insurance premiums, qualifying support obligations, and other deductions authorized by the regulations.
The difference between gross and net income can significantly affect the calculation. Two parents who earn the same gross salary do not necessarily have the same net weekly income for guideline purposes.
Income questions become particularly important for business owners, executives, commission-based employees, and people who receive bonuses, stock-based compensation, or other variable income. In those cases, determining the proper income figure may become one of the central issues in the child support analysis.
The Guidelines Combine and Allocate the Parents’ Incomes
After determining each parent’s net weekly income, the calculation generally combines those amounts.
The Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations in Regulation § 46b-215a-2c identifies the basic obligation corresponding to the parents’ combined net weekly income and the number of children involved. The guidelines then allocate that obligation according to each parent’s percentage of the combined income.
For example, suppose one parent has net weekly income of $1,500 and the other has $1,000. Their combined net weekly income equals $2,500. The first parent earns 60 percent of the combined income, while the second earns 40 percent.
The schedule provides the combined basic child support obligation. The guidelines then use the parents’ respective income percentages to allocate their shares, with the appropriate amount generally becoming the presumptive current support obligation of the noncustodial parent.
This process reflects the income-shares concept underlying Connecticut’s guidelines: both parents contribute to their child’s support in relation to their financial resources.
The 2026 Guidelines Expanded the Schedule to $6,000 Per Week
One of the most significant 2026 changes affects higher-income families.
Under the prior guidelines, the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations ended at $4,000 in combined net weekly income. The revised schedule now extends through $6,000 per week, or approximately $312,000 in combined annual net income.
The expanded schedule brings many families directly within the guideline table who previously exceeded its upper limit.
When the parents’ combined net weekly income exceeds $6,000, the court applies the guidelines’ high-income provisions. The amount at the $6,000 level establishes the minimum presumptive obligation. The applicable percentage at that level, when applied to the parents’ actual combined net weekly income, determines the maximum presumptive obligation.
The court then determines the appropriate amount within that framework while considering the relevant statutory factors under § 46b-84(d).
The Connecticut Supreme Court addressed child support above the former guideline ceiling in Maturo v. Maturo, 296 Conn. 80 (2010), and Dowling v. Szymczak, 309 Conn. 390 (2013). Those cases interpreted earlier versions of the guidelines, so their specific calculations must now be read in light of the current $6,000 schedule.
Bonuses and Variable Compensation Can Affect Support
Not everyone receives the same paycheck every week.
Executives may receive annual bonuses. Sales professionals may earn commissions. Employees may receive incentive compensation, while business owners may experience substantial income fluctuations from year to year.
Connecticut’s guidelines provide ways to address these situations.
When the court can appropriately account for variable compensation in the regular calculation, that compensation may affect guideline income. When future compensation remains too uncertain to reduce to a fixed amount, the court may use a supplemental support order that requires payment of a percentage of qualifying future compensation when the parent actually receives it.
This approach can account for income that does not lend itself to a predictable weekly figure while still allowing the child to benefit when additional compensation materializes.
Variable compensation can nevertheless create factual disputes. The parties may disagree about whether a particular payment constitutes income, whether it will recur, or whether the court should include it in the regular calculation or address it separately.
Child Support Also Addresses Health Care and Child Care
The basic weekly payment represents only one part of a Connecticut child support order.
The guidelines also address health care coverage and qualifying unreimbursed health care expenses. Depending on the circumstances, the court may require a parent to maintain available health insurance for the child and allocate expenses that insurance does not cover.
The guidelines also allocate qualifying child care costs between the parents.
These obligations can significantly affect what each parent actually contributes. Looking only at the weekly support payment may provide an incomplete picture of the overall child support order.
Shared Physical Custody Does Not Automatically Eliminate Support
Parents often assume that an approximately equal parenting schedule means neither parent should pay child support.
Connecticut law does not use that approach.
The guidelines recognize shared physical custody, but they do not automatically replace the presumptive calculation with zero support. Instead, shared physical custody may support a deviation when the circumstances satisfy Regulation § 46b-215a-5c.
In Wald v. Cortland-Wald, 226 Conn. App. 1 (2024), the Appellate Court reversed a child support determination that the trial court created by relying on shared physical custody to deviate without making the findings that the regulations required.
Parenting time can matter, but Connecticut does not calculate support simply by counting overnights.
Courts Can Deviate From the Guidelines
Although the guideline amount carries a presumption of correctness, Connecticut law permits deviations in appropriate cases.
Regulation § 46b-215a-5c identifies circumstances that may justify a different amount. Depending on the facts, those criteria can include certain other financial resources, extraordinary child-related or parental expenses, needs of other dependents, coordination of total family support, shared physical custody, extraordinary disparity in parental income, the child’s best interests, and other specified circumstances.
The court cannot simply select another number because it considers that result fairer.
Section 46b-215b requires the court to make the findings necessary to support a departure from the presumptive amount. In Kiniry v. Kiniry, 299 Conn. 308 (2010), the Connecticut Supreme Court emphasized that the court must first determine the presumptive guideline amount before considering a deviation. Wald likewise demonstrates the importance of satisfying the requirements of the particular deviation criterion.
Common Child Support Situations in Connecticut
Two Salaried Parents With One Child
Assume two parents have one child who primarily resides with the mother. After applying the permitted guideline deductions, the father has net weekly income of $1,600 and the mother has net weekly income of $1,200.
The guidelines combine those incomes and use the schedule to determine the basic support obligation for one child. They then allocate the obligation according to each parent’s proportionate share of the combined income.
The calculation does not simply ask what either parent believes the child costs each week. Instead, the guideline schedule establishes a presumptive level of support based principally on parental income and the number of children.
A Parent Receives a Large Annual Bonus
A Stamford executive earns a regular salary and also receives an annual performance bonus that varies substantially.
If the circumstances allow the court to account for the bonus in the regular calculation, it may affect the parent’s guideline income. If future bonus income remains sufficiently uncertain, the court may instead use a supplemental percentage order that applies when the parent receives the compensation.
That approach can allow support to respond to actual income without requiring the parents to return to court whenever a bonus changes.
Parents Have Approximately Equal Parenting Time
Two parents share substantial and approximately equal parenting time with their children, but one earns considerably more than the other.
The parenting schedule does not automatically produce zero support. The court still starts with the presumptive guideline calculation.
If a parent seeks a deviation based on shared physical custody, the court applies the requirements of § 46b-215a-5c. Any departure from the presumptive amount must rest on the applicable deviation criteria rather than simply dividing support according to overnights.
The Parents Are High Earners
Suppose the parents have combined net weekly income of $8,500.
Because their income exceeds the current $6,000 schedule, the court applies the high-income provisions. The $6,000 schedule amount establishes the minimum presumptive obligation, while the applicable percentage at that level helps determine the upper end of the presumptive range.
The court then considers the guidelines and the relevant § 46b-84(d) factors when setting the order.
A Parent’s Income Falls After Judgment
Suppose a parent paying support loses a job and accepts another position at substantially lower compensation.
The existing child support order does not automatically change when the parent’s income changes. The parent must seek a modification.
General Statutes § 46b-86 permits modification under specified circumstances, including a substantial change in circumstances or a substantial deviation from the guidelines. The statute also creates rebuttable presumptions concerning whether a guideline difference of at least 15 percent constitutes a substantial deviation.
Fictional Fact Pattern: Child Support in a Greenwich Divorce
Consider Michael and Lauren, a fictional Greenwich couple divorcing after fourteen years of marriage. They have two children, ages nine and twelve.
Lauren earns a $135,000 salary. Michael works in financial services and earns a $260,000 base salary, plus an annual bonus that has ranged from $80,000 to $225,000 during the preceding four years.
The children will primarily live with Lauren, although Michael will have substantial parenting time.
Lauren’s salary makes her income calculation relatively straightforward. Michael’s compensation requires closer analysis because his annual bonus fluctuates substantially.
The parties exchange pay records, tax returns, bonus statements, financial affidavits, and information about health insurance and child care. Michael argues that the court should use only his guaranteed salary because no future bonus is certain. Lauren argues that excluding bonuses would substantially understate his actual compensation.
The guidelines do not necessarily force the court to choose between those two positions.
The court first determines the income it should use for the regular support calculation. If Michael’s future bonus remains too uncertain to reduce appropriately to a fixed weekly amount, the court can also consider a supplemental percentage order that applies when he actually receives qualifying bonus income.
Depending on the income included in the calculation, the parents’ combined net weekly income may exceed the $6,000 upper end of the current schedule. If it does, the court applies the high-income provisions and considers the relevant factors under § 46b-84(d).
Michael also argues that his substantial parenting time should reduce his support obligation. His parenting schedule matters, but it does not automatically create a mathematical reduction based on overnights. If Michael seeks a shared-physical-custody deviation, he must establish the circumstances necessary for the court to apply that deviation criterion.
The court also addresses health insurance and unreimbursed health care expenses, along with any qualifying child care costs.
The final order may include several components: recurring basic child support, health care obligations, child care contributions, and potentially supplemental support tied to Michael’s future variable compensation.
This example illustrates why Connecticut child support can be both formula-driven and fact-specific. The guidelines establish the framework, but determining the correct income figures and whether the circumstances justify a deviation can require much closer analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions About Connecticut Child Support
Is Connecticut child support based on gross or net income?
The guidelines generally use net weekly income after applying deductions authorized by the regulations. Gross income remains important because it provides the starting point for determining net income.
Did Connecticut change its child support guidelines in 2026?
Yes. Revised guidelines took effect August 1, 2026. Among the significant changes, the income schedule now extends through $6,000 in combined net weekly income rather than $4,000.
Does 50/50 custody mean nobody pays child support?
No. Shared physical custody does not automatically eliminate child support. It may support a deviation when the circumstances satisfy the applicable regulatory requirements.
Are bonuses included in child support?
They can be. The treatment depends on the nature and predictability of the compensation. The court may address some uncertain future compensation through a supplemental percentage order.
What happens if our income exceeds the guideline schedule?
When combined net weekly income exceeds $6,000, the court applies the high-income provisions of the guidelines together with relevant statutory factors under § 46b-84(d).
Does child support include medical expenses?
The child support framework addresses health care coverage and qualifying unreimbursed health care expenses in addition to basic current support.
Is child care included?
The guidelines can allocate qualifying child care expenses between the parents separately from the basic weekly support obligation.
Can parents agree to a different child support amount?
Parents can reach agreements, but the court still reviews child support. An agreement that deviates from the presumptive guideline amount must satisfy the applicable legal requirements.
Can child support change later?
Yes. Section 46b-86 permits modification under specified circumstances. Until the court modifies the order, however, the existing support obligation generally remains enforceable.
How long does child support last in Connecticut?
Under § 46b-84, support generally continues while a child is a minor. For an unmarried child who turns eighteen while still a full-time high school student, support may continue until the child completes twelfth grade or reaches age nineteen, whichever occurs first. Different rules may apply in certain circumstances, including qualifying children with disabilities and educational support orders.
Final Thoughts
Connecticut’s Child Support Guidelines make support determinations more consistent and predictable, but the calculation still depends on getting the underlying facts right.
For many families, the process is relatively straightforward: determine each parent’s net weekly income, apply the current schedule, allocate the obligation, and address health care and child care. Bonuses, business income, shared parenting, high income, or disputes about compensation can make the analysis considerably more complicated.
The 2026 revisions also mean that older explanations of Connecticut child support may no longer accurately describe the current rules, particularly for higher-income families.
The guideline calculation provides the legal starting point. Understanding how Connecticut reaches that number, and when the law permits the court to depart from it, gives parents a much clearer picture of how the state approaches their child’s financial support.
About the Author: Damian Turco is the Founder and Managing Partner of Turco Legal and has practiced divorce and family law since 2008.
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