Experienced Las Vegas Child Support Lawyer

How Child Support Is Calculated in Nevada

The starting point is the current NAC 425.140 child-support schedule, together with the low-income provisions and the applicable custody arrangement. The schedule applies different percentages to portions of monthly gross income, rather than applying one percentage to all income:

• One child: 16% of the first $6,000, plus 8% of income above $6,000 through $10,000, plus 4% of income above $10,000.
• Two children: 22%, 11%, and 6% across those same income tiers.
• Three children: 26%, 13%, and 6% across the tiers.
• Four children: 28%, 14%, and 7% across the tiers. For each additional child, the respective tiers increase by 2, 1, and 0.5 percentage points.

These are base calculations, not a prediction of a particular order. The current schedule does not use the old annually adjusted per-child maximum. Under NAC 425.145, a separate low-income schedule applies when the court determines that the parent’s total economic circumstances limit the ability to pay the ordinary amount. An existing order remains in effect unless changed through the appropriate process.

Income, Custody, and Adjustments

Gross income can include more than wages. Bonuses, investment income, retirement payments, and certain business earnings may matter under NAC 425.025. Tax returns alone may not resolve the calculation for a self-employed parent. The court can require financial records and, after taking evidence, may impute income when a parent is unemployed or underemployed without good cause under NAC 425.125.

With primary physical custody, the other parent’s support obligation is calculated. With joint physical custody, each parent’s obligation is calculated and the amounts are offset, so the parent with the higher obligation pays the difference. The applicable rules are in NAC 425.115. Equal parenting time does not necessarily mean no support is due.

The court considers reasonable child-care costs and medical-support provisions separately. Adjustments may depend on the child’s specific needs, the parents’ economic circumstances, transportation for parenting time, responsibility for supporting others, and the other factors in NAC 425.150. A departure from the guidelines requires supporting findings; it is not automatic simply because a parent requests it.

Ford & Flaxman represents parents seeking to establish, modify, or enforce support. Our child custody practice addresses related parenting arrangements, while our high-income child support guide discusses more complex income questions.