Child support in Washington is governed by the Washington State Child Support Schedule.

There is not much wriggle room in terms of obligation to pay child support. It is generally a mathematical process wherein both parents' incomes are calculated resulting in a net support obligation to be paid by one parent to the other. Credit can be given to the paying parent when the child spends more time with that parent than is the norm. The dollar amount of the child support obligation is generally worked out based upon the incomes of the parents.

There are other factors that may be relevant

Use the Calculator at Divorcelawinfo.com* (see below) to get a rough estimate of child support or do it yourself using the Child Support Worksheets.

The Child Support Worksheets can be downloaded from the Forms** site. You can also order completed versions for a fee at DivorceSource.com or go to an Attorney.

* Divorceinfo.com provides an estimate of child support with their calculator. However, read their disclaimer. You should check with an attorney or at a minimum do the calculations yourself by using the official court provided Divorcesource.com provides completed versions for a fee.

** Opens a new window linking to a PDF file.