Texas Child Support Cap: What the $11,700 Limit Means

In Texas, guideline child support is figured on the paying parent’s monthly net resources only up to a set limit, and income above that limit is left out of the basic calculation. A child support lawyer in Austin can show how the limit applies to your income.

If you’re going through a divorce in Texas or expecting child support modifications, a significant change took effect September 1, 2025 that could impact your financial obligations. The Texas child support cap has increased from $9,200 to $11,700 per month, marking the first adjustment since 2019. This 27% increase affects how courts calculate child support for higher-income parents across the state.

Whether you’re the parent paying support or receiving it, understanding this change and how it applies to your situation is crucial for planning your family’s financial future.

What the Cap Limits: The Paying Parent’s Net Resources

Under Texas Family Code Section 154.125, child support calculations are based on the paying parent’s monthly net resources, but only up to a maximum amount called the “cap.” It’s important to note that this cap applies to your net resources, meaning your income after deductions for taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and other allowable expenses.

The parent with the right to designate the child’s primary residence usually receives guideline child support from the other parent (a percentage of monthly net resources up to the $11,700 cap in effect since September 1, 2025), along with an allocation of health and dental coverage. Equal possession schedules do not automatically eliminate support; courts and agreed orders often use an offset instead.

Several key factors beyond basic income affect how the new $11,700 cap applies to your situation. Understanding these elements helps you prepare for negotiations and ensures you’re providing complete information to your attorney.

Calculating Net Resources for Different Income Types

The definition of net resources under Texas Family Code encompasses more than just your paycheck. It includes gifts, wages, salaries, commissions, tips, overtime, bonuses, self-employment income, and even certain benefits like unemployment or disability payments. However, determining net resources becomes more complex for parents with variable income, investment earnings, or multiple revenue streams. For instance, if you receive quarterly bonuses or seasonal income, the court may average your earnings over a longer period to establish a fair monthly amount.

Pro Tip: Track every source of income and every deduction you are allowed to take, and keep the records. The Texas child support calculator recognizes deductions for OASDI, Medicare, federal income tax, medical insurance, dental insurance, and union dues when calculating your net resources. State income tax is also deductible if you work in another state, but voluntary retirement contributions like 401(k) deferrals typically aren’t deductible for child support purposes.

Self-employed parents face particular challenges in calculating net resources, as business expenses must be carefully reviewed to determine which deductions are allowable under Texas child support guidelines. The state’s approach aims to prevent artificially reduced income while recognizing legitimate business costs.

Pro Tip: If you’re self-employed, maintain separate business and personal accounts, and keep meticulous records of legitimate business expenses; courts closely scrutinize deductions to ensure they’re not being used to artificially lower child support obligations.

Guideline Support Percentages by Number of Children

The process of calculating child support under the new guidelines follows a specific sequence that ensures fairness while protecting children’s financial interests. The Office of the Attorney General has updated their 2025 Revised Tax Charts and online calculator to reflect these changes, making it easier for parents and their attorneys to estimate support obligations accurately.

Calculate gross monthly income from all sources including wages, self-employment income, and other earnings
Deduct allowable expenses such as federal taxes, OASDI (6.2% of wages), and Medicare (1.45% of wages), and others to determine net resources
Ensure the calculation of net resources doesn’t exceed the $11,700 monthly net resources cap; any income above this amount isn’t included in the base calculation
Apply the appropriate percentage to net resources up to the $11,700 monthly net resources cap based on number of children: (with no other children to support) 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five or more

The OAG calculator provides estimates for single income sources, but self-employed parents and those with multiple income streams may find it less accurate for their situations. The calculator can give you a starting point, but complex income scenarios often require manual calculations considering all revenue sources, allowable business deductions, and averaged earnings over time.

How the Cap Gets Updated

Texas law requires both parents to financially support their children, regardless of their marital status. The cap itself is not fixed for good. It is adjusted from time to time to keep pace with inflation, and the 2025 change is the most recent example.

The Title IV-D agency calculated this adjustment by measuring the Consumer Price Index change between February 2019 (733.407) and February 2025 (930.723), resulting in a 26.9% increase. After applying this percentage to the previous $9,200 cap, the calculation yielded $11,675.17, which was then rounded to the nearest $50 increment as required by law, resulting in the new $11,700 cap.

This change recognizes the impact of inflation over the past six years and ensures child support amounts better reflect the current cost of raising children.

When a Court Orders Support Above the Cap

When a parent’s net resources exceed $11,700 a month, the guideline percentage stops at the cap. A court may order additional support only if the parent asking for it proves the child’s actual needs are greater than the capped amount (Texas Family Code §154.126); private school tuition, therapies, travel for a long-distance possession schedule and extracurricular costs are the usual evidence.

Any income above the cap isn’t automatically excluded from consideration; it may factor into the court’s analysis. Medical records, therapy bills, educational assessments, and detailed expense documentation all play crucial roles in these determinations.

Pro Tip: Create a comprehensive spreadsheet tracking all child-related expenses for at least six months before filing; this concrete evidence carries more weight than estimates when requesting support above guidelines.

Questions above the cap often come up in cases involving Austin business owners, physicians and executives. Business owners and parents paid in stock face a second question: what counts as income. Distributions, retained earnings a sole owner controls, bonuses and vested equity compensation are all net resources for support purposes, and a parent cannot lower support by routing pay through a company. These cases overlap heavily with high-asset divorce, and the same financial records decide both.

Modifying an Existing Order After the Cap Change

The new cap doesn’t automatically change existing child support orders. If your order was established before September 1, 2025, it remains in effect at the current amount unless you or your ex-spouse files a modification request with the court. To modify support based on the new cap, you’ll need to demonstrate the factors set out in the Texas Family Code to qualify for a modification of the child support order.

A cap change is only one reason a parent may ask the court to take another look. Changes in a family’s circumstances can be others, and our guide on how to modify child support explains that process.

Whether you’re beginning divorce proceedings or considering a modification to an existing order, taking the right steps now can significantly impact your outcome. Being proactive and well-informed positions you for success in achieving a fair child support arrangement.

Pro Tip: Gather your last three years of tax returns, recent pay stubs, and documentation of any additional income sources before your attorney consultation; having these documents ready speeds up the analysis process.

A family law attorney can also advise whether your case warrants requesting support above the guidelines, help gather necessary documentation, and represent your interests in negotiations or hearings. If the other parent stops paying under the order you have, child support enforcement in Texas works differently from a modification.