Matthew P. McChesney Family Law Attorney

News and Insights

Child Support Increase for High Earners

Beginning September 1, 2025 the Texas child support cap on net resources is going up from $9,200 to $11,700.  This means that the child support obligation of high earners (those whose net resources are calculated at or over $11,700 per month) will go up under a guideline analysis per the code.   This is the first such adjustment to support guidelines since 2019 and is based on inflation data. 

Child support calculated under the guidelines for these high "cap" earners would now be increased based on the number of children as below:

  • 1 child:   $2,340
  • 2 children:   $2,925
  • 3 children:   $3,510
  • 4 children:   $4,095
  • 5 children:   $4,680

These changes apply to cases both pending on and filed after the date the law goes into effect, September 1, 2025.  If you think you may be eligible for a child support adjustment based on this new law, please call me at the office to discuss your case.  Former clients of course can just text me (you have my cell number) and we'll set a time to see if a modification is right for you.

Keep in mind these are guidelines and the courts are not bound by them.  Child support can be calculated by alternate means and can be less than the guidelines or more than the guidelines based on various statutory and equitable factors.  Texas Family Code 154.123 enumerates specific factors a court may consider in determining if applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case. 

Those factors include:

  • the child’s age and needs;
  • the parent’s ability to contribute to the child’s support;
  • any financial resources available for the child support;
  • the amount of access time of possession of and access to a child;
  • the amount of the Obligee’s (person receiving child support) net resources and earning potential;
  • child care expenses;
  • whether either party has managing conservatorship or actual physical custody of another child;
  • the amount of alimony or spousal maintenance actually and currently being paid or received by a party;
  • the child’s educational expenses beyond secondary school;
  • whether the obligor or obligee has employee benefits such as housing or a company car;
  • the amount of other deductions from the wage or salary income and from other compensation for personal for personal services of the parties;
  • health insurance and uninsured medical expenses for the child;
  • extraordinary educational, healthcare, or other expenses of the parties or child;
  • travel expenses incurred to exercise possession;
  • the cost of travel in order to exercise possession of the child;
  • positive or negative cash flow from real or personal property, including assets like businesses or investments;
  • debts or debt service assumed b either party; and
  • any other reason consistent with the best interest of the child, taking into consideration the circumstances of the parents.

Written August 26, 2025 MPM

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