Louisiana Child Support Guidelines

Louisiana calculates child support using the income shares model, which is based on the principle that a child should receive the same proportion of parental income that the child would have received if the parents lived together. The governing statutes — LSA-R.S. 9:315 through 9:315.47 — provide a detailed framework for determining each parent’s obligation, including a guidelines schedule, adjustments for shared custody, add-on expenses for healthcare and childcare, and factors that permit the court to deviate from the calculated amount.

Understanding how Louisiana’s child support guidelines work is critical for any parent going through a divorce, separation, or paternity action. This article explains each component of the calculation and the circumstances under which a court may adjust the guideline amount.

For a general overview of child support calculations across states, see our guide on how child support is calculated.

The Income Shares Model

Louisiana’s income shares model works by combining both parents’ adjusted gross incomes to determine the total amount that would be spent on the child if the family were intact. The child support guidelines schedule — contained in LSA-R.S. 9:315.19 — specifies a basic child support obligation based on the combined adjusted gross income and the number of children.

The basic steps are:

1. Determine each parent’s monthly gross income
2. Calculate each parent’s adjusted gross income (after certain deductions)
3. Combine both parents’ adjusted gross incomes
4. Look up the basic child support obligation on the guidelines schedule based on combined income and number of children
5. Determine each parent’s percentage share of the combined adjusted gross income
6. Add net childcare costs, health insurance premiums, and extraordinary expenses
7. Allocate the total obligation proportionally based on each parent’s income share
8. Apply adjustments for shared custody, if applicable

The parent who does not have primary custody (the domiciliary parent) typically pays their share of the obligation to the domiciliary parent.

Gross Income Definition

The foundation of Louisiana’s child support calculation is each parent’s gross income. Under LSA-R.S. 9:315(C)(3), gross income is defined broadly to include income from any source, including but not limited to:

• Salaries, wages, tips, and commissions
• Bonuses and overtime pay
• Self-employment income (gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary business expenses)
• Severance pay
• Disability, workers’ compensation, and unemployment benefits
• Social Security benefits
• Pension and retirement income
• Interest and dividends
• Rental income
• Trust income
• Spousal support received from a prior or current relationship
• Any other form of periodic payment

Gross income does not include:

• Child support received for children from another relationship
• Benefits from means-tested public assistance programs (TANF, SNAP, SSI)
• Extraordinary overtime if it is not regular and recurring

Imputing Income

If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income to that parent. Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.11, the court considers:

• The parent’s work history and occupational qualifications
• The parent’s earning capacity based on education, training, and experience
• The prevailing wage rates in the community for comparable work
• Whether the parent has made a good faith effort to find employment

Income is not imputed to a parent who is caring for a child under five years of age in the absence of available and affordable childcare, or to a parent who is physically or mentally incapacitated.

Adjusted Gross Income

After determining gross income, certain deductions are applied to arrive at adjusted gross income. Under LSA-R.S. 9:315(C)(4), allowable deductions include:

• Federal and state income taxes (based on the single filing status with one personal exemption)
• FICA contributions (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
• Mandatory retirement contributions
• Health insurance premiums for the parent only (not the child — that is handled separately)
• Court-ordered support obligations actually being paid for children from another relationship

The result is each parent’s adjusted gross monthly income, which is the figure used in the guidelines schedule.

The Guidelines Schedule

LSA-R.S. 9:315.19 contains the child support guidelines schedule — a table that specifies the basic child support obligation based on the combined adjusted gross income of both parents and the number of children. The schedule covers combined incomes from $0 to over $40,000 per month and accounts for one through six or more children.

For combined adjusted gross incomes that exceed the schedule, the court has discretion to set an appropriate amount based on the needs of the child and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the family remained intact.

The basic child support obligation from the schedule represents the estimated cost of raising a child at the combined income level. Each parent’s share is determined by their percentage of the combined adjusted gross income. If Parent A earns 65% of the combined income and Parent B earns 35%, Parent A is responsible for 65% of the total obligation.

Example Calculation

Consider two parents with the following monthly adjusted gross incomes:

• Parent A: $4,500
• Parent B: $2,500
• Combined: $7,000

If they have two children, the guidelines schedule specifies a basic child support obligation (for illustration, assume $1,264 per month). Parent A’s share is 64.3% ($4,500 / $7,000), and Parent B’s share is 35.7%. Before add-ons, Parent A would owe approximately $813 per month, and Parent B would owe approximately $451. The add-ons (healthcare, childcare, extraordinary expenses) are then allocated in the same proportions.

Healthcare Add-On

Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.3, the cost of health insurance premiums for the child is added to the basic child support obligation. The cost that is added is the incremental cost of adding the child to an existing health insurance plan — not the total premium for the entire family.

If health insurance is not available at a reasonable cost through either parent’s employer, the court may order the parents to share the cost of obtaining private coverage for the child.

In addition to premiums, extraordinary medical expenses — defined as uninsured or unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding $250 per child per year — are allocated between the parents in proportion to their income shares under LSA-R.S. 9:315.5. These expenses include:

• Orthodontics, dental work, and vision care not covered by insurance
• Mental health treatment and counseling
• Prescription medications
• Physical therapy and other rehabilitation costs

Childcare Add-On

Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.3, net childcare costs — the actual cost of childcare attributable to the parent’s employment or job search — are added to the basic child support obligation. Net childcare costs are calculated by subtracting any federal or state tax credits for childcare from the gross childcare expense.

Childcare costs must be reasonable and necessary. The court will not approve excessive childcare expenses if more affordable alternatives are available. As children age and no longer require full-time childcare, this component of the obligation decreases or is eliminated.

Shared Custody Adjustment

Louisiana provides a specific calculation for shared custody arrangements. Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.9, shared custody exists when each parent has physical custody of the child for at least 73 days per year (roughly 20% of the time).

When shared custody applies, the calculation adjusts as follows:

1. Determine the basic child support obligation from the guidelines schedule
2. Multiply the obligation by 1.5 to account for the increased cost of maintaining two households for the child
3. Determine each parent’s percentage share of the combined adjusted gross income
4. Multiply each parent’s share by the adjusted obligation
5. Multiply each parent’s obligation by the percentage of time the child spends with the other parent
6. The parent with the larger obligation pays the difference to the other parent

The shared custody formula recognizes that when a child spends significant time in both households, both parents incur direct costs for housing, food, transportation, and other expenses. The 1.5 multiplier reflects this increased total cost.

Deviation Factors

The guidelines amount creates a rebuttable presumption of the correct child support obligation. Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.1(B), the court may deviate from the guidelines if applying them would be unjust or inappropriate. The court must state specific reasons for the deviation on the record.

Factors that may justify deviation include:

• Extraordinary medical or dental expenses of the child
• The child’s special educational needs, including private school tuition or tutoring for a child with learning disabilities
• Seasonal variations in income for parents in industries like agriculture, fishing, or construction
• The income of the child from employment, trust, or other sources
• The total number of children when a parent supports children from multiple relationships
• Extreme financial hardship of either parent
• The child’s standard of living prior to the divorce
• Tax consequences to either parent
• Shared custody arrangements that differ significantly from the standard formula assumptions
• Direct payments made by a parent for the child’s expenses (such as paying private school tuition directly rather than through the support payment)

The court has discretion, but it cannot deviate from the guidelines without articulating specific findings on the record. A general statement that the guidelines amount is “too high” or “too low” is insufficient.

Extraordinary Expenses

Beyond the standard add-ons for healthcare and childcare, Louisiana courts may allocate extraordinary expenses between the parents. These include:

• Private school tuition — If the child attended private school during the marriage and the parents can afford continued enrollment, the court may include tuition as an add-on expense.
• Extracurricular activities — Costs for sports, music lessons, camps, and other activities that the child participated in before the separation may be included.
• Travel expenses for visitation — If the parents live a significant distance apart, the court may allocate transportation costs for the child’s travel between households.
• Special needs expenses — Additional costs for therapy, equipment, or care related to a child’s physical, emotional, or developmental needs.

These expenses are not automatically included in the guidelines calculation. The parent requesting their inclusion must demonstrate that the expenses are reasonable, necessary, and in the child’s best interest.

Modification of Child Support

Under LSA-R.S. 9:311, either parent may seek a modification of child support when there has been a material change in circumstances since the last order. A change in circumstances may include:

• A significant increase or decrease in either parent’s income
• A change in the custody arrangement
• A change in the child’s needs (such as the onset of a medical condition)
• A change in the cost of healthcare or childcare
• A child reaching the age of majority or becoming emancipated

Louisiana also provides for an automatic review when the existing order deviates from the guidelines by 25% or more due to changed circumstances. The burden is on the party seeking modification to demonstrate the material change.

For more on modifying child support, see our guide on how to modify child support.

What to Do Next

If you are involved in a child support matter in Louisiana, take these steps:

1. Gather income documentation. Collect recent pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and records of all income sources for both yourself and the other parent. Accurate income information is the foundation of the child support calculation.
2. Track custody time carefully. The number of days each parent exercises physical custody directly affects whether the shared custody formula applies. Keep accurate records of your actual custody schedule.
3. Document add-on expenses. Maintain records of health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding $250 per child per year. These are allocated between parents as part of the support calculation.
4. Identify extraordinary expenses. If your child has special needs, attends private school, or participates in significant extracurricular activities, document these costs. You may be able to include them in the support calculation.
5. Consult a Louisiana family law attorney. Louisiana’s child support guidelines involve multiple variables, and the shared custody formula adds complexity. Schedule a free consultation to ensure your child support is calculated correctly under Louisiana law.

For more on child support enforcement and modification, see our guides on child support enforcement and how to modify child support.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Louisiana?

Louisiana uses the income shares model. Both parents’ adjusted gross incomes are combined, and the guidelines schedule specifies a basic support obligation based on the combined income and number of children. Each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income. Add-ons for health insurance, childcare, and extraordinary expenses are allocated in the same proportions.

What counts as income for child support in Louisiana?

Gross income includes virtually all sources of income — wages, salary, bonuses, self-employment income, disability benefits, Social Security, pensions, rental income, interest, dividends, and trust income. It does not include child support received for other children or means-tested public assistance benefits.

How does shared custody affect child support in Louisiana?

When each parent has physical custody for at least 73 days per year, the shared custody formula applies. The basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, and each parent’s share is adjusted based on the time the child spends with the other parent. The parent with the larger net obligation pays the difference to the other parent.

Can the court deviate from the guidelines amount?

Yes. The court may deviate from the guidelines if applying them would be unjust or inappropriate. Common reasons include extraordinary medical expenses, special educational needs, seasonal income variations, and the total number of children a parent supports. The court must state specific reasons for any deviation.

At what age does child support end in Louisiana?

Under LSA-R.S. 9:315.22, child support generally continues until the child reaches age 18, or age 19 if the child is still a full-time student in a secondary school program. Support may end earlier if the child is emancipated, marries, or joins the military. The court may also order continued support for a child who is unable to support themselves due to a mental or physical incapacity that existed before the child reached the age of majority.