Calculating Child Support in Missouri

In Missouri, child support is determined by Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88 and Form 14, sometimes referred to as the Missouri Child Support Guidelines Worksheet. The Form 14 estimates the child support obligation that a Court may order to a parent to pay toward supporting their children every month. The calculations include the income of both parties, parenting time, insurance, childcare, and more.

Under Missouri law, there is a rebuttable presumption that the amount of child support, that would result from the use of the guidelines, is the correct amount of support that should be awarded. However, a Court may deviate from the presumed amount under certain circumstances.

For example, the amount of child support that the Court may order in a case can be different from the amount estimated by the Form 14 calculator due to the Form 14 calculator assuming that each of the children primarily lives with one parent.

This is not necessarily always the case, since many dissolutions or paternity matters have joint physical custody, split custody, or other factors that can affect an order entered by the Court. Because the Form 14 calculator is informational and based on statutory guidelines, any extraordinary expenses or situations are not taken into account.

If you have any questions regarding the Missouri Child Support Guidelines, Langley Law is here to help!