Arkansas Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator

Arkansas calculates child support under the Income Shares Model, adopted through Administrative Order No. 10 effective July 1, 2020. Courts combine both parents' gross monthly incomes, look up the base obligation on the Family Support Chart, and split costs proportionally. Use the Arkansas child support calculator below to estimate a guideline amount for your situation, or open the full-page Arkansas child support calculator to walk through every adjustment.

Quick Summary: Arkansas Child Support at a Glance

How Arkansas Switched to the Income Shares Model

Before July 1, 2020, Arkansas calculated child support using the "Percentage of Obligor Income" method. That older approach looked only at the non-custodial parent's earnings, placing the full financial burden on one household.

The Arkansas Supreme Court changed the guidelines through an updated Administrative Order No. 10. The new system uses the Income Shares Model, which considers both parents' incomes.

Under this model, courts assume children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if both parents lived together. Both parents contribute based on their share of the combined gross income.

If you have a child support order from before July 2020, the difference between your current order and what the new guidelines would produce may qualify as a "material change of circumstances." That difference alone can be enough to petition for a modification. However, existing orders do not change automatically.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Arkansas

Administrative Order No. 10 lays out a step-by-step process for calculating child support.

Step 1: Determine Gross Income

The court identifies each parent's monthly gross income. Arkansas uses gross income (before taxes and deductions), not net income. Gross income includes:

• Wages, salaries, and tips
• Commissions and bonuses
• Self-employment income
• Workers' compensation and disability benefits
• Pension and retirement benefits
• Social Security benefits
• Unemployment benefits
• Rental income
• Interest and dividends
• Trust income
• Alimony received from another relationship

If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income based on what that parent could reasonably earn.

Step 2: Combine Both Incomes

The court adds both parents' gross monthly incomes together to get a combined figure.

Step 3: Look Up the Base Obligation

Using the Family Support Chart, the court finds the base child support obligation for the combined income level and the number of children. The chart covers combined monthly incomes up to $30,000. For incomes above that threshold, the court uses its discretion.

Step 4: Calculate Each Parent's Share

Each parent pays a proportional share of the base obligation. For example, if Parent A earns 60% of the combined income and Parent B earns 40%, Parent A is responsible for 60% of the base obligation.

Step 5: Add Adjustments

Several expenses are added to the base obligation and split proportionally:

• Health insurance premiums paid for the child (considered reasonable if the premium does not exceed 5% of the paying parent's gross income)
• Extraordinary medical expenses exceeding $250 per child per year (including orthodontia, physical therapy, and treatment for chronic conditions)
• Work-related childcare costs incurred due to employment or active job searching

The official Arkansas Child Support Calculator can help you estimate your obligation. The final amount is always at the court's discretion.

Self-Support Reserve and Minimum Order

If the paying parent's monthly gross income falls below $900, the court applies a self-support reserve to make sure that parent can still meet basic living needs. In these cases, the presumptive minimum child support order is $125 per month. A party can challenge this minimum by presenting evidence to the court.

Parenting Time Adjustment

When the non-custodial parent has at least 141 overnights per year (roughly 40% of the time), the court may adjust the support amount downward. The guidelines assume fewer than 141 overnights as the default; once that threshold is crossed, the court uses discretion to determine an appropriate adjustment based on the actual overnight count.

How to Modify Child Support in Arkansas

To change an existing child support order, you must show a material change in circumstances. Arkansas law defines specific triggers.

Automatic Grounds for Modification

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-107, a change of 20% or more in either parent's gross income qualifies as a material change sufficient to petition the court for modification.

An inconsistency between an existing order and the amount the current Family Support Chart would produce also counts as a material change.

Either parent also has the right to request a review once every 36 months, even without a change in income, through the OCSE.

Other Factors the Court Considers

• Extraordinary travel expenses for court-ordered visitation
• Court-ordered responsibility for a stepchild
• Education expenses for the child
• Changes in custody arrangements
• Changes in the child's medical or educational needs

Grounds for Deviating Below the Minimum

The court may set support below the guidelines if:

• The paying parent is incarcerated
• The parent's only income is SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
• A verified mental or physical disability prevents the parent from working
• Documented inability to earn income exists

Any deviation from the guidelines must be stated in writing with specific justification.

To request a modification, you can contact OCSE or file a motion with the court. Modifications generally apply only to future payments from the date of filing. Past-due amounts cannot be changed retroactively. Waiting only adds months at the old amount, so get a free case evaluation from an Arkansas family lawyer and file once either parent's gross income changes by 20% or more (attorney advertising).

Enforcement and Penalties for Non-Payment

Arkansas takes child support enforcement seriously. The Office of Child Support Enforcement and the courts have multiple tools to collect unpaid support.

Administrative Enforcement

• Income withholding: Wages garnished directly from paychecks; most orders include an additional arrears withholding provision (recently updated to up to 20% in some cases)
• Tax refund interception: State and federal refunds seized
• Bank account garnishment: Funds seized from financial accounts
• Property liens: Placed on vehicles, homes, and other assets
• License suspension: Driver's licenses and professional licenses suspended when arrears equal three or more times the monthly support obligation
• Passport denial: Passports denied or revoked when arrears reach $2,500 or more
• Credit reporting: Delinquent support reported to credit bureaus when arrears exceed $1,000

Contempt of Court

Willful failure to pay child support results in a contempt citation. A judge may order the delinquent parent to pay all past-due support immediately. Failure to comply can lead to fines and jail time. The court may also order the delinquent parent to pay the custodial parent's attorney fees.

Criminal Penalties Under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-401

Arkansas classifies nonsupport as a criminal offense with escalating penalties:

The $2,500 threshold and the four-month threshold are both required, not alternatives. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-401(b)(2)(A)(iii) reaches a person who "[o]wes more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) in past-due child support ... and the amount represents at least four (4) months of past-due child support." An arrearage over $2,500 that built up in two months does not meet this prong on its own, and neither does four months of arrears totaling less than $2,500.

A prior conviction for nonsupport also elevates the charge to a Class D felony regardless of the amount owed.

Interest on Arrears and Collection Time Limits

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-233, all unpaid child support accrues interest at 10% per year. The judgment holder can request that the court not apply interest, but otherwise it accrues automatically.

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-236, the statute of limitations on collecting unadjudicated arrears is five years after the child turns 18. Adjudicated judgments are valid for 10 years and renew each time a payment is made.

No statute of limitations applies if the obligor leaves or stays outside Arkansas to avoid paying support. Arrears never disappear simply because the child reaches adulthood.

When Does Child Support End in Arkansas?

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-237, child support terminates automatically by operation of law when:

• The child turns 18, unless the child is still attending high school
• If the child is still attending high school at 18, support continues until high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is earlier
• If the child drops out of high school, support ends at age 18

Child support also ends if the child:

• Dies
• Is emancipated by a court of competent jurisdiction (an emancipation order alone does not stop the support order; see below)
• Marries

Support also ends upon the marriage of the child's parents to each other, or upon entry of a final decree of adoption that relieves the paying parent of all parental rights and responsibilities.

Required Notifications

Termination is not automatic from a paperwork standpoint. Within 10 days, the paying parent must send written notice to:

• The custodial parent or physical custodian
• The clerk of court receiving payments
• The employer (if income withholding is active)
• OCSE (if applicable)

The notice must include a copy of the most recent child support order.

Arrears Survive Termination

Even after the support obligation ends, any unpaid balance remains collectible. The custodial parent can continue enforcement actions to collect arrears plus accrued interest.

How a Minor Can Become Emancipated in Arkansas

An emancipation order does not by itself stop a child support order. Ark. Code Ann. § 9-35-109(e)(10) is explicit that "[c]hild support orders are not terminated but may cease upon entry of an order from the court that issued the order of child support." Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-237(a)(1)(C)(i) does list emancipation by a court of competent jurisdiction among the events that end support by operation of law, so Arkansas law points both ways here. The practical risk runs in one direction: a paying parent who stops remitting on the strength of the emancipation order alone keeps accruing an arrearage that draws 10% annual interest under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-233. Ask the court that issued the support order to enter an order ending it.

Court-ordered emancipation is governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 9-35-109, recodified from former § 9-27-362 by Act 518 of 2025, which repealed the subchapter the old section sat in. That statute provides the court-petition route only. A child's marriage ends the support obligation under a different provision, Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-237(a)(1)(C)(ii).

Marriage

A child's marriage terminates the support obligation by operation of law under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-237(a)(1)(C)(ii). Arkansas allows 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. A five-business-day waiting period applies for marriage licenses issued to minors. No one under 17 may marry in Arkansas.

Court-Ordered Emancipation

Court-ordered emancipation is not a route open to every Arkansas 17-year-old. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-35-109(a), a petition may be filed only "by any party to a dependency-neglect, dependency, family in need of services, or delinquency case," and § 9-35-109(c) limits the circuit court to emancipating a juvenile in one of those cases. If no such case is open, there is no petition the court can grant.

Where the statute does apply, the petitioner must prove all of the following by a preponderance of the evidence:

• The minor is at least 17 years old
• The minor is willing to live apart from parents or guardians
• The minor has an appropriate place to live
• The minor can manage their own financial affairs
• The minor has a legal source of income
• The minor has healthcare coverage or a realistic plan to meet health needs
• The minor agrees to comply with compulsory school attendance laws
• Emancipation is in the minor's best interest

Emancipation petition forms are available through Arkansas Legal Aid.

How to Apply for Child Support Services

The Arkansas Office of Child Support Enforcement provides services including locating absent parents, establishing paternity, establishing and enforcing support orders, and collecting payments.

You can apply by:

• Visiting the OCSE website to apply online
• Calling (501) 371-5349 to request an application
• Visiting one of 26 field offices across the state

For case-related questions, call (501) 682-8708. You can also track your case online through the MyCase portal.

More Arkansas Laws

• Arkansas Alimony Laws
• Arkansas Child Custody Laws
• Arkansas Divorce Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the 2020 Income Shares guidelines apply to my existing child support order?

Existing orders do not change automatically. However, the difference between your current order and what the Income Shares Model would calculate may qualify as a material change of circumstances. That gives you grounds to petition for modification through the court or through OCSE.

What is the minimum child support payment in Arkansas?

When the paying parent earns less than $900 per month in gross income, the presumptive minimum order is $125 per month. A party can challenge this amount by presenting evidence to the court.

Can child support be modified retroactively in Arkansas?

No. Modifications apply only to future payments starting from the date you file the motion. Past-due amounts under the original order cannot be changed retroactively, so it is important to file for modification as soon as circumstances change.

What happens if I stop paying child support in Arkansas?

Unpaid child support accrues 10% annual interest under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-14-233. OCSE can garnish wages, seize tax refunds, freeze bank accounts, suspend licenses, and report the debt to credit bureaus. Felony exposure under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-401 starts well below $10,000: nonsupport is a Class D felony if you owe more than $2,500 in past-due support and that amount represents at least four months of support, if you have a prior nonsupport conviction, or if you leave or remain outside Arkansas for more than 30 days while support is unpaid. Arrears over $10,000 raise it to a Class C felony, and arrears over $25,000 to a Class B felony.

Does child support end automatically when my child turns 18?

Support ends by operation of law when the child turns 18 and has graduated high school, or at age 19 if still enrolled. However, you must send written notice within 10 days to the custodial parent, the court clerk, your employer (if wages are being withheld), and OCSE. Any unpaid arrears remain collectible after the obligation ends.

How does parenting time affect the child support amount in Arkansas?

The guidelines assume the paying parent has fewer than 141 overnights per year. When the paying parent has 141 or more overnights (roughly 40% of the year), the court may exercise discretion to reduce the support amount. There is no automatic formula reduction; the court weighs the actual overnight count and income disparity between the parents.