How child support is calculated in Arkansas

How the guideline works, what the official calculator needs, and the low-income and health insurance rules.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

Arkansas uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes count, and each parent pays a share of the child's support. Each parent's monthly gross income is used with the Family Support Chart to find the basic support for the number of children.

Model
Income shares
Official calculator
Official Arkansas child support calculator

The official Arkansas calculator

Each parent's monthly gross income is used with the Family Support Chart to find the basic support for the number of children. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs over $250 per child per year, and work-related child care are added and shared by income. The guidelines assume the paying parent has the children fewer than 141 overnights a year.

Law: Ark. Sup. Ct. Admin. Order No. 10 (as amended October 6, 2022, 2022 Ark. 185); Ark. Code Ann. 9-12-312

We don't estimate Arkansas's amount here: its formula uses both parents' incomes and other facts, and a home-made number could mislead you. The official tool gives the real starting number:

Official Arkansas child support calculator

Health insurance in Arkansas

Every order should address the children's health care. Health insurance is reasonable if the cost of dependent coverage is no more than 5% of the gross income of the parent providing it. The court can order a set amount or a percentage for uninsured costs; OCSE enforces set dollar amounts, not percentages (Admin. Order No. 10, Section IV; OCSE Medical Support).

What goes into support in Arkansas

Each parent's monthly gross income is used with the Family Support Chart to find the basic support for the number of children. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs over $250 per child per year, and work-related child care are added and shared by income. The guidelines assume the paying parent has the children fewer than 141 overnights a year.

Law: Ark. Sup. Ct. Admin. Order No. 10 (as amended October 6, 2022, 2022 Ark. 185); Ark. Code Ann. 9-12-312

The model in plain words

Income shares means the child should get what the parents would spend if they lived together. Both incomes are combined, and each parent's share of the total sets their part.

Every state must have one set of child support guidelines, review them at least every 4 years, and use the guideline amount unless a written finding says it would be unjust.

Law: 45 CFR 302.56

The low-income rule in Arkansas

If the paying parent earns less than $900 a month, the chart applies a self-support reserve and a presumed minimum order of $125 a month, which a party can rebut (for example, incarceration or a verified disability that prevents work).

State guidelines may not treat time in jail or prison as choosing not to work, when support is set or changed.

Law: 45 CFR 302.56(c)(3)

In nearby states

Get your number in Arkansas

  1. Find the income numbers

    Recent pay stubs and last year's tax return are the usual starting point.

  2. Run the official numbers

    Get the guideline amount from Official Arkansas child support calculator.

  3. Include other costs

    Health insurance, child care and other costs can be added or shared as the state's rules say.

  4. Get an order

    The agency can set up an order: contact Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) (501-371-5349) · Apply online

Free legal help in Arkansas

Questions about the Arkansas guidelines

How is child support calculated in Arkansas?

Each parent's monthly gross income is used with the Family Support Chart to find the basic support for the number of children. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs over $250 per child per year, and work-related child care are added and shared by income. The guidelines assume the paying parent has the children fewer than 141 overnights a year.

Where is the Arkansas child support calculator?

Yes: Official Arkansas child support calculator.

How does Arkansas treat low incomes?

If the paying parent earns less than $900 a month, the chart applies a self-support reserve and a presumed minimum order of $125 a month, which a party can rebut (for example, incarceration or a verified disability that prevents work).

Who pays for the child's health insurance in Arkansas?

Every order should address the children's health care. Health insurance is reasonable if the cost of dependent coverage is no more than 5% of the gross income of the parent providing it. The court can order a set amount or a percentage for uninsured costs; OCSE enforces set dollar amounts, not percentages (Admin. Order No. 10, Section IV; OCSE Medical Support).

Related Arkansas pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources