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EspañolHow will the amount of child support be decided?
Nevada, like most states, has a formula that it uses for determining how much a parent should pay in child support. In this context, “payor” means the parent who is required to pay child support. We also use the term “income” in the chart below to mean the payor’s gross monthly income, which you can see defined in Section 425.025 of the Nevada Administrative Code. Judges will generally award child support to be paid monthly using the following formula:
| If you have… | Then child support will be the total of… |
|---|---|
| one child |
16% of the first $6,000 of the payor’s income |
| two children |
22% of the first $6,000 of the payor’s income |
| three children |
26% of the first $6,000 of the payor’s income |
| four children |
28% of the first $6,000 of the payor’s income |
| five or more children |
the amount for four plus the following for each additional child: |
There is an exception, however, if the paying parent earns a very low income. If the court determines that his/her economic circumstances limit his/her ability to pay the amount of child support explained above, the child support obligation would be established by using a low-income schedule, which is based on the current federal poverty guidelines. If the parent earns less than the lowest level set in the low-income schedule, the judge can set an appropriate child support amount based on his/her total economic circumstances. The judge will balance the parents’ need to support themselves with the obligation to support the child.2
In addition to the child support amount ordered, every court order for the support of a child must include a term that says that one or both parents are required to provide medical support for the child and any details relating to that requirement.3
1 Nev. Admin. Code § 425.140
2 Nev. Admin. Code §§ 425.140; 425.145(1)
3 Nev. Admin. Code § 425.135(1)
