Follow New York’s basic support calculation.

Start with worksheet income, then check the child-count percentage, income cap and low-income rules.

Identify the income the worksheet calls for

Use the annual income calculated under the official income worksheet, rather than substituting take-home pay. If maintenance is part of the same calculation, it can change the income used for child support. Our New York worksheet calculates the post-divorce basic-support scenario; it does not calculate every tax deduction or decide custody.

Worked example: one child, no maintenance

Assume Party A is the established noncustodial parent with $60,000 in annual worksheet income, Party B has $40,000, and neither receives maintenance in this example. There are no additional expense adjustments.

1. Combine the worksheet incomes: $60,000 + $40,000 = $100,000.
2. Apply the one-child percentage, 17%: $100,000 × 0.17 = $17,000 in annual basic support.
3. Find Party A’s income share: $60,000 ÷ $100,000 = 60%.
4. Allocate the annual amount: $17,000 × 60% = $10,200.
5. Convert for planning: $10,200 ÷ 12 = $850 per month.

This original illustration is below the 2026 combined-income cap of $193,000 and does not trigger the low-income adjustment. The cap and percentage are published in the 2026 Child Support Standards Chart. It is a basic amount, not a proposed final order.

Why changing the facts changes the worksheet

If there are two children, the statutory percentage changes; you do not simply double the one-child amount. If combined income exceeds the cap, the treatment of additional income requires a separate legal determination. If maintenance is paid, calculate its income effect before reusing an income-share result.

The official child-support worksheet UD-8(3) also addresses low-income limits. A percentage calculation alone may be incomplete for a parent near the poverty guideline or self-support reserve. Child care, health coverage and other add-ons can change the amount beyond basic support.

Prepare a comparison that means something

Keep the same income period and child count when comparing two scenarios. Label each changed assumption, such as a new documented income amount. Do not change the parenting classification just to see a preferred result; the appropriate classification must fit the facts and law.

For the example above, a $1,000 increase in Party A’s annual worksheet income would change the basic calculation. A $1,000 transfer from savings would not automatically represent a $1,000 increase in income. The source of a receipt matters more than the fact that it appeared in a bank account.

Before using a printout

• Confirm the worksheet version and the income period.
• Check whether maintenance was included and whether the correct parent was identified.
• List expenses or special circumstances the basic calculation does not include.
• Use official forms when the court requires them. This report is not a court order.

Read the New York state guide for sources, or return to the result-checking guide.

Updated September 17, 2026. Published by Kestervale LLC. Educational information, not legal advice. Report a correction.