Child Support
Child support in Kentucky—what it really is, and how the number gets decided.
If you've been lying awake doing the math in your head, fearing a number you can't survive or one your kids won't be supported by, take a breath. Child support in Kentucky isn't a guess and it isn't a punishment—it follows a formula. The point of this page is to show you how that formula works, so the unknown stops feeling like the enemy.
A confidential conversation. No commitment, no pressure.
What's at Stake
Most of the fear comes from the same place—not knowing.
Child support sits on top of everything that already feels uncertain right now: where your kids will sleep, whether you can keep the house, whether the month will balance. So it's no surprise the number feels enormous before you understand how it's set.
You've heard a horror story from a coworker. You've read a figure online that may have nothing to do with your situation. That's the gap we close. Once you can see how Kentucky arrives at the number, it stops being a threat hanging over you and becomes one more thing you can plan around.
How Kentucky Calculates It
The income shares model—in plain English.
Kentucky uses the "income shares" model. The idea: a child should receive roughly the same share of the parents' income they would have if the family were together. Here, in plain terms, is generally how it works under Kentucky's child support guidelines (KRS 403.212):
Both incomes go in first.
— The court looks at the combined monthly gross income of both parents.
The guidelines set a base figure.
— That combined income, applied to the statutory guidelines, produces a base support amount for the number of children involved.
It's split by share of income.
— The base is divided in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income. If you earn 60% of the combined total, you're generally responsible for roughly 60% of the support figure.
Health insurance & childcare get added in.
— Out-of-pocket health insurance premiums for the children and work-related childcare are added to the calculation and divided by the same percentage.
Parenting time can affect the result.
— Substantial shared parenting time may justify a deviation from the guideline number—the court has limited discretion to adjust when the facts support it.
Modifications are possible when there's a material change in circumstances—commonly framed as a change that would produce at least a 15% difference in the guideline amount.
How We Handle It
We do the math openly—with you, not at you.
Bring what you have. We'll walk through the guideline calculation with you, and tell you what a realistic range looks like before anything is filed.
Wage assignment, contempt, and arrearage actions when support isn't being paid. You won't have to chase it alone.
Job loss, a significant raise, a custody change—we file modifications the right way, so the order keeps up with reality.
What Now
Whether you'll be paying support or receiving it, you deserve a clear answer.
Not a surprise. A conversation is the fastest way to get one.