SUPPORT GUIDELINE BASICS
Child support and alimony answer different money questions.
Child support usually starts from a state guideline worksheet. The worksheet asks for income, deductions, children covered by the case, other support obligations, health insurance, childcare and sometimes parenting time. Alimony or spousal support usually focuses on each adult's resources, need, earning ability and the duration or facts of the marriage.
Why the state worksheet matters
A useful support number has to follow the state method. Some states use an income-shares schedule. Some use a percentage of the paying parent's income. Others use formulas with low-income reserves, caps, parenting-time adjustments or statutory add-ons. Using gross income where the worksheet requires adjusted income can change the result.
What evidence usually belongs in the packet
Pay stubs, tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, business profit records, health-insurance premiums, childcare receipts, existing support orders and debt information can all matter depending on the state. The calculator's state worksheet model is intended to keep those categories visible instead of hiding the math behind a paywall.
Use separate outputs for court review
A child-support worksheet and an alimony analysis should be understandable on their own. Combining them without showing the intermediate steps makes the result harder to explain. Guideline Calculator's export path is designed to show the income inputs, statutory source notes, worksheet method and final monthly amount.