Child care and health insurance in the support worksheet.
The basic schedule amount covers ordinary costs of raising children. Work-related child care and the children’s health coverage are usually handled as separate lines and divided between the parents, most often in proportion to their incomes.
Health care is a federal requirement
Under 45 CFR 302.56(c)(2), every state guideline must address how the parents will provide for the child’s health-care needs through private or public health-care coverage, cash medical support, or both. States meet that requirement in different ways, but almost every worksheet has a line for the children’s portion of health-insurance premiums.
Use only the children’s share of the premium
When a parent’s policy covers the parent, a new spouse and the children, the worksheet usually counts only the cost attributable to the children. A common method is to subtract the cost of employee-only coverage from the cost of the family plan. Ask the employer’s benefits office for the premium at each coverage level, and keep the statement.
Uninsured medical costs
Co-pays, deductibles, orthodontics and therapy are often allocated by percentage in the order rather than included in the monthly amount. Some states first require the custodial household to absorb a set amount per year. Florida, Indiana and Missouri, among others, treat extraordinary medical expenses separately from the basic schedule.
Work-related child care
Child care that allows a parent to work, look for work or attend school is usually added to the basic obligation and shared by income percentage. Alabama, Georgia, Kansas and Louisiana list work-related child care as a worksheet addition. Missouri’s Form 14 also accounts for the federal child-care tax credit, so the credit can reduce the cost that is shared.
| Item | Parent A (60%) | Parent B (40%) |
|---|---|---|
| Share of $600 child care | $360 | $240 |
| Share of $200 children’s premium | $120 | $80 |
If Parent B pays both bills directly, Parent A’s $480 share is generally added to Parent A’s support obligation. If Parent A pays the premium, Parent A usually receives credit for paying it. The exact method follows the worksheet.
Other costs that may be separate
- Extraordinary educational expenses, such as private school or tutoring, where the state allows them.
- Extracurricular activities the court includes, as in Illinois.
- Travel costs for long-distance parenting time, as in Arizona and Idaho.
- Post-secondary education in states that allow it, such as Indiana.
How this site treats add-on costs
Where a state’s add-on lines are implemented and tested, the calculator collects them and shares them by income. Where a state requires a worksheet line the calculator does not compute, the result says so and points to that line in the official form, so the base amount is not presented as the complete figure.
Records to prepare
- Child-care invoices or a provider statement showing the monthly cost.
- Employer premium statements for employee-only and family coverage.
- A list of recurring uninsured medical costs with receipts.
Next: see how parenting time affects support.
Updated October 17, 2026. Published by Kestervale LLC. Educational information, not legal advice. Report a correction.