1 Child
~20%
2.0pp above average
Data updated September 2026
2023 guideline data Income Shares model OCSE FY2023 source
California Child Support Guidelines
California carries 1,058,674 Title IV-D cases - a heavy-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations.
- 20%
- 1-child base rate
- #4 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #2
- enforcement caseload rank
- 87.9%
- cases with order
$1,402/mo
One-child base rate at California's median income
20% of $84,097, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for California, divided across twelve months, 47% above the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
California Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 20% published one-child starting rate #4 of 51
- Income 43 jurisdictions share this model
- 87.9% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #24 nationally
- 1,058,674 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #2 by volume
- $2,287 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Alaska nearest rate peer (Δ 0.0 pts)
- 2023 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Income Shares · INC · MID
National context
Where California's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. California's higher-third 20% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
California's 20% published one-child base rate is higher than 42 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. California sits in a higher-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~30%
4.3pp above average
3 Children
~38%
6.7pp above average
4 Children
~42%
6.8pp above average
Income Cap
$30,000
per month
Large Title IV-D caseload
California in the heavy-caseload third
1,058,674 active cases put California in the heaviest third by OCSE P-52 volume (#2).
California carries 1,058,674 Title IV-D cases - a heavy-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations. Countable income caps at $30,000/mo - above that line the elevated schedule stops and discretion takes over. Nearest one-child rate peer: Alaska at 20% (Δ 0.0 pts). California allows a parenting-time adjustment when the non-custodial parent exercises substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare California to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, California ranks #24 of 51 on order-establishment share and #2 by caseload volume (~$2,287 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How California Calculates Child Support
California uses the Income Shares model. Both parents' incomes are combined, the total obligation is looked up from a schedule, then split proportionally based on each parent's income share. Its one-child base rate is in line with the national middle range. That higher-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Complex algebraic formula: CS = K[HN - (H%)(TN)]. Considers both incomes, timeshare percentage, and allowable deductions. No simple fixed schedule.
California guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Income Shares |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | $30,000/mo combined |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $84,097/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 20% (rank #4 of 51) |
Not legal advice for California: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current California schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in California.
California Child Support Enforcement
1,058,674
Active Cases
$2,420.9M
Annual Collections
87.9%
Cases with Orders
$2,287
Collected per case (our calculation)
California vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 87.9%
national
87.9% of California's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
C
State Support Program Score
58/100
California
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment C
87.9%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency C+
$2,287/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections F
2.72% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access A+
Available
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Calculate California Child Support
Our interactive calculator uses California's formula with your specific income and parenting time inputs.
Open California CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to California's 20% (MID band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how California guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for California
Guideline parameters from California statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for California.