Tex Parte Blog story: Texas child support? There's an app for that.
Customer reviews (as of July 30): All ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Great app! It's easy to use and a lot less cumbersome than trying to figure out child support with the family code and a calculator! Hope to see more apps like this one!
Awesome app. So easy to show client in I phone. Does all the math for you. You don't have to know withholding amount - which clients never have with them.
Simple, efficient and mobile. Great at mediation, courthouse or settlement conference. Great job.
Overview
CS Calc is designed for use by
- attorneys who need to calculate Texas child support on the fly at trial, in mediation, in collaborative law or when consulting with potential clients; and by
- non-attorneys who want to calculate the amount of child support they will pay or receive.
Buy CS Calc now from the iTunes Store.
How does it work?
Texas applies percentages to "net resources" to determine child support. Net resources equals "resources" (gross annual income) less five things:- social security taxes;
- federal income taxes (calculated using single filing status, single exemption and standard deduction);
- state income tax;
- union dues; and
- the cost of health insurance for the children up to 9% of the amount of gross annual income.
Editions and Pricing
Every year, the personal exemption and standard deduction change because they are indexed to inflation. From time to time, the Texas legislature changes the child support formula, too. For these reasons, this version of CS Calc should be used only to calculate 2010 child support.FAQs
These FAQs are included within CS Calc. They will be supplemented as additional questions are asked.
FAQ Overview
Employment status
Gross annual income
Children before court
Health insurance
Other children court ordered to support
Caveat
References
CS Calc calculates child support in Texas.
Texas applies percentages to "net resources" to determine child support. Net resources equals "resources" (gross annual income) less
- social security taxes;
- federal income taxes (calculated using single filing status, single exemption and standard deduction);
- state income tax;
- union dues; and
- the cost of health insurance for the children up to 9% of the amount of gross annual income.
The ceiling for Social Security taxes, as well as the amounts of the personal exemption and standard deduction, usually change each year because they are indexed to inflation. This version of Texas CS Calc should be used only to calculate 2010 child support.
Social security and federal income taxes are calculated slightly differently depending on whether a person is self-employed. A person who has a job and is also self-employed can calculate approximate monthly child support by calculating as though employed and as though self-employed, then proportionately averaging the results.
Gross annual income is income from any and all sources except for:
- return of principal or capital;
- accounts receivable;
- supplemental security income;
- TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefits; and
- payments for foster care of a child.
"Children before court" means the number of children in the current child support case. If there are no other children, child support is calculated by multiplying net resources by 20% for one child, 25% for two children, 30% for three children, 35% for four children and 40% for five or more children.
A parent who pays child support also must pay for health insurance for the children before the court in addition to monthly child support. The amount of premium required to be paid may not exceed 9% of gross annual income. The amount of the premium, capped at 9% of gross annual income, is subtracted from net resources which lowers the monthly child support amount. If the insurance covers both children before the court and other minor dependents, then the pro rata amount of the premium should be entered.
Other children court ordered to support
"Other children court ordered to support" means the number of other children a person has been ordered by a court to support. Child support for children before the court is discounted when a court has ordered a person to support other children from a prior relationship. There must be a court order to support the other children: Paying child support for other children without a court order doesn't count.
Nothing in this application is intended to constitute legal advice. The application calculates the amount of monthly child support to be paid depending on user input. Sometimes courts depart from the statutory formula when determining the amount of child support to be paid. Everyone should retain a lawyer for child support proceedings and should rely on what the lawyer says rather than upon this application.
This application calculates child support under Texas Family Code sections 154.125 and 154.128 as amended by the 2009 Texas legislature.
Definitions and other information are taken from Texas Family Code sections 154.062 and 154.182 as amended by the 2009 Texas legislature.
Social Security information for CS Calc 2010 was taken from Social Security Online. Amounts for the personal exemption and standard deduction were taken from Rev. Proc. 2009-50.
Each version of CS Calc is checked against the Texas Attorney General's Tax Charts to ensure correctness.
For user support, contact jverner@vernerlegal.com or visit www.VernerLegal.com
For additional information about family law, visit the following websites and blogs:
Child Support Web
North Texas Family Law Blog
Texas Family Law Update
Verner & Brumley, P.C.