Iowa Child Support Calculator

Iowa uses an income shares model under Iowa Court Rule chapter 9 (Child Support Guidelines, schedule effective January 1, 2026). Each parent's adjusted net monthly income (gross income minus taxes, FICA, and certain allowed deductions) is combined, and the Iowa Schedule of Basic Support Obligations gives a dollar amount based on the combined income and number of children. That basic obligation is then split in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income, and the higher-earning (noncustodial) parent typically pays their share. A built-in low-income adjustment (Area A and Area B of the schedule) reduces the obligation for low-income paying parents, and an extraordinary visitation credit applies when the paying parent has more than 127 court-ordered overnights per year.

Iowa's guidelines are based on each parent's adjusted net monthly income, not gross income. Gross income includes earnings from nearly all sources such as wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, Social Security benefits, unemployment benefits, disability insurance, workers' compensation, and spousal support received. From gross income, Iowa subtracts federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), mandatory union dues and license fees, certain prior support obligations, and a qualified additional dependent deduction to reach adjusted net income. Iowa courts may impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. Enter your adjusted net (after-deduction) figures in this calculator.

Iowa's guidelines include an extraordinary visitation credit under Iowa Court Rule 9.9. The credit is based on the number of court-ordered overnights the paying parent has per year. The credit is 15% for 128 to 147 overnights, 20% for 148 to 166 overnights, and 25% for 167 or more overnights (up to equally shared physical care). The credit reduces the paying parent's share of the basic support obligation but cannot reduce support below $50 for one child, $75 for two children, or $100 for three or more children. Below 128 overnights there is no visitation credit. In cases of court-ordered equally shared physical care, Iowa uses a separate offset calculation instead.

Yes, either parent can petition to modify child support when there has been a substantial change in circumstances. Iowa generally allows modification when the current order differs from the recalculated guideline amount by 10% or more. Common reasons include significant income changes, changes in parenting time, changes in childcare or medical costs, or a child aging out of the order.

In Iowa, child support generally continues until the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student at 18, support continues until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. Support may continue past the normal age for a child with a disability who is dependent. Iowa courts may also order a postsecondary education subsidy separately from ongoing child support.

Yes. Under Iowa's guidelines, work-related childcare costs and the cost of providing health insurance for the child are factored into the support calculation. These costs are added to or adjusted against the basic child support obligation, and each parent's responsibility is proportional to their share of the combined net income.

This calculator provides an estimate based on the Iowa child support guidelines. Actual court-ordered support may differ because judges may deviate from the guidelines based on factors including the child's needs, extraordinary expenses, the financial resources of each parent, and whether applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. Consult an Iowa family law attorney for an accurate assessment.