Louisiana Child Support Laws: Guidelines and Calculations

Louisiana child support laws require both parents to contribute financially to raising their children. The state uses the income shares model, which bases the support obligation on the combined gross income of both parents. Louisiana's child support guidelines are found in La. Rev. Stat. Title 9, Part V, and the state updated its child support schedule effective January 1, 2025.

This guide covers how Louisiana calculates child support, what counts as income, how to apply for and modify support orders, enforcement penalties, and when support ends.

How Louisiana Calculates Child Support

Louisiana adopted the income shares method to determine child support. This approach recognizes that both parents have a legal duty to provide for their children financially, and it estimates what the parents would have spent on the child if the family had stayed together.

The calculation follows these steps under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.2:

1. Determine each parent's monthly gross income
2. Subtract any pre-existing child support or spousal support obligations to get each parent's adjusted gross income
3. Combine both parents' adjusted gross incomes
4. Look up the basic child support obligation in the schedule based on combined income and number of children
5. Divide the obligation proportionally based on each parent's share of the combined income
6. Add costs for health insurance, child care, and extraordinary expenses

The Child Support Schedule

The schedule of basic child support obligations is found in La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.19. This table was amended and reenacted by Act 86 (HB 773) during the 2024 Regular Session, with changes taking effect on January 1, 2025.

The schedule covers combined adjusted monthly gross incomes from $0 up to $40,000. For families with combined monthly income above $40,000, the court determines support on a case-by-case basis, considering the child's needs and each parent's ability to pay.

Here are examples from the schedule for selected income levels and one child:

Combined Monthly Income	1 Child	2 Children	3 Children
$1,500	$287	$432	$503
$3,000	$466	$730	$858
$5,000	$677	$1,056	$1,255
$10,000	$1,100	$1,668	$1,971
$20,000	$1,640	$2,496	$2,971
$30,000	$1,984	$3,074	$3,699

These figures are approximate examples. Use the official Louisiana Child Support Estimator for accurate calculations based on your specific situation.

Worksheet A vs. Worksheet B

Louisiana provides two worksheets for calculating child support under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.8 and La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.9:

• Worksheet A applies when one parent has primary physical custody. The noncustodial parent pays their proportional share of the total obligation to the custodial parent.
• Worksheet B applies to shared custody arrangements where each parent has the child for a significant portion of time. This worksheet adjusts each parent's obligation based on the actual time the child spends with each parent.

Before completing either worksheet, you will need:

• Both parents' income documentation
• Health insurance costs for the child
• Work-related child care expenses
• Unreimbursed medical expenses (over $250 per year per child)
• Educational expenses for special needs
• Extraordinary transportation costs between parents' homes

What Counts as Income in Louisiana

Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.2, Louisiana courts consider gross income from all sources when calculating child support, including:

• Wages, salaries, and commissions
• Bonuses and dividends
• Pensions and annuities
• Capital gains and interest income
• Self-employment income
• Unemployment and disability benefits
• Workers' compensation
• Social Security benefits
• Trust and investment income
• Rental income

Imputed Income for Voluntarily Unemployed Parents

Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.11, if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may calculate support based on that parent's earning potential rather than actual income.

When deciding whether to impute income, the judge considers:

• The parent's age and health
• Employment history and job skills
• Education level
• Local job market conditions
• Availability of employers willing to hire the parent

If there is no evidence of actual income or earning potential, Louisiana law creates a rebuttable presumption that the parent can earn a weekly gross amount equal to 32 hours at the applicable minimum wage (state or federal, whichever is higher).

2025 Update: Effective January 1, 2025, Louisiana expanded the caregiver exemption. A parent will not be considered voluntarily unemployed or underemployed if they have caregiving responsibility for a child who needs close supervision and care because of a serious intellectual or physical disability. Previously, the exemption only applied to parents caring for a child under age five.

How to Apply for Child Support in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) administers child support enforcement services. Parents who do not receive Medicaid, FITAP, or KCSP pay a non-refundable $25 application fee.

Apply for child support services online or call 1-888-524-3578.

DCFS provides the following services:

• Establishing paternity through genetic testing or voluntary acknowledgment
• Locating absent parents using state and federal databases
• Establishing child support orders by working with the court system
• Collecting and distributing payments through income withholding and other methods
• Enforcing existing orders when a parent falls behind on payments
• Reviewing and adjusting orders when circumstances change

How to Modify Child Support in Louisiana

Louisiana allows child support modification when there is a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing. The governing statute is La. Rev. Stat. 9:311.

When Modification Is Presumed Warranted

A rebuttable presumption that modification is warranted exists when a strict application of the child support guidelines would result in at least a 25% change from the existing child support order.

However, the court retains discretion in both directions. A judge may:

• Grant modification even without a 25% difference if a material change in circumstances is proven
• Deny modification even with a 25% difference if applying the guidelines would not be appropriate under the specific facts

Important exception: If the original amount resulted from a court-approved deviation from the guidelines, the 25% presumption does not apply unless the circumstances that justified the deviation have themselves changed.

Valid Grounds for Modification

• Substantial change in either parent's income (increase or decrease)
• Job loss or disability
• Changes in the child's needs (medical, educational)
• Changes in custody or parenting time arrangements
• Imprisonment of the obligor parent
• Bankruptcy

How to Request Modification

You can pursue modification through two paths:

Through DCFS: Contact the Child Support Modification Process or call 1-888-524-3578 to request a review of your order.

On your own or with an attorney: File a Rule to Modify Child Support with the clerk of court's office in the parish where your order was issued. You will need to provide:

• Proof of current income (pay stubs, tax returns)
• Child care costs
• Health insurance information
• Out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Documentation of the changed circumstances

Warning: Filing a frivolous modification request can result in the court ordering you to pay the other party's attorney fees and court costs.

Enforcement: What Happens If You Do Not Pay

Louisiana enforces child support aggressively. The state has both administrative and criminal tools available to collect unpaid support.

Administrative Enforcement Actions

DCFS and the courts can take the following actions without a criminal prosecution:

• Wage and income withholding (garnishment)
• Interception of federal and state tax refunds
• Bank account levy and seizure
• Suspension of driver's license
• Suspension of recreational licenses (hunting, fishing)
• Suspension of professional licenses
• Denial or suspension of passport
• Vehicle registration suspension
• Contempt of court proceedings
• Liens on property

Criminal Penalties Under the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act

Louisiana's "Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act" under La. Rev. Stat. 14:75 imposes criminal penalties for intentional failure to pay child support:

Offense	Fine	Imprisonment
First offense	Up to $500	Up to 6 months
Second or subsequent offense	Up to $2,500	Up to 2 years (with or without hard labor)

Criminal charges may apply when a parent has not paid support for more than six months or owes more than $2,000 in arrears.

If arrears exceed $15,000 or remain unpaid for at least one year, the penalties increase to a fine of up to $2,500 and imprisonment with or without hard labor.

The law does provide an opportunity for leniency. If the parent makes full restitution before sentencing (except for second or subsequent offenses), the court may suspend all or part of the sentence.

Most Wanted Delinquent Payors List

If you owe six months of back support or at least $10,000, your name, photograph, address, and occupation may be published on the state's Most Wanted Delinquent Payors page.

Federal Criminal Charges

Delinquent parents may also face federal charges if they willfully refuse to pay child support and either live in a different state than the child or have traveled to another state to avoid paying. Federal prosecution typically requires that the parent has not paid for more than one year or owes at least $5,000 in back support.

When Does Child Support End in Louisiana?

Child support in Louisiana does not always end automatically at age 18. Under La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22, the general rules are:

• Age 18: Support terminates when the child reaches the age of majority (18) or becomes emancipated
• Age 19: Support continues until age 19 if the child is unmarried, dependent on either parent, and enrolled as a full-time student in good standing in a secondary school or its equivalent

Support for Disabled Children (2025 Update)

Effective January 1, 2025, Act 448 (HB 770) created La. Rev. Stat. 9:315.22.1, which established new rules for child support involving disabled children:

• Developmental disability: Support continues as long as the child is under age 22 and still a full-time student in secondary school
• Intellectual or physical disability: Support continues indefinitely for an unmarried child who is incapable of self-support and requires substantial care and personal supervision, provided the disability was manifested before the child reached age 18 and the parent filed the request before the child turned 18

The primary domiciliary parent or legal guardian must prove the disability by clear and convincing evidence, including certified medical records. The court order must state that the child requires continuous care and personal supervision, will not be capable of self-support, and that payments will continue after the child's eighteenth birthday for an indefinite period.

Key change: Under the prior law, support for disabled children was addressed less specifically. The new statute requires parents to file a motion to continue child support for disabled children, creating a clearer legal framework.

Emancipation in Louisiana

Minors can become emancipated and potentially end child support obligations through three methods:

• Marriage with parental consent
• Court hearing where the minor demonstrates readiness for independence
• Authentic act (notarized document signed by the parent)

To qualify for judicial emancipation, the minor must be at least 16 years old, financially independent, and have a legal income source. Emancipation does not affect age-based laws such as the legal drinking age.

Termination of Parental Rights

Louisiana allows parents to voluntarily relinquish parental rights, but the standards are strict. If parental rights are terminated, the parent has no financial obligation to the child and no say in how the child is raised.

Voluntary termination typically occurs in the context of adoption. Involuntary termination may occur if the court finds:

• The parent has abandoned the child
• The parent is addicted to drugs
• The parent has committed a serious felony resulting in bodily injury or death
• There is evidence of abuse, neglect, incest, or other serious misconduct