Missouri Child Support
Estimate for Missouri
Missouri uses the Income Shares model.
Official schedule: Missouri Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (Supreme Court of Missouri, Form 14 schedule; official PDF version dated 2024). Income basis = Combined Adjusted Gross Income per Form 14. (2024)
View calculation breakdown
| Combined parental income | $9,000 |
|---|---|
| Total basic obligation (schedule) | $1,568 |
| Obligor income share | 55.6% |
| Obligor basic obligation | $871 |
| Estimated monthly support | $871 |
How the basic obligation splits between parents
Estimated monthly support by number of children
§ How Missouri calculates support
Missouri uses the Income Shares model through Form 14 (required by Supreme Court Rule 88.01 and RSMo § 452.340) on both parents' adjusted gross monthly income. The Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations sets the base, split by each parent's income percentage; health insurance, work-related childcare, and extraordinary medical costs are added. The Form 14 result is a rebuttable presumption. The 2026 schedule (effective January 1, 2026) applies across the income range; an overnight-visitation credit can reduce the paying parent's share.
Content verified against official sources on 2026-08-09.
✦ How to open or modify a case in Missouri
- Establish parentage if needed, then file a dissolution (divorce), paternity, or support action in the circuit court of the county where a spouse resides (90-day Missouri residency for at least one spouse).
- Both parents complete Form 14 (and its directions and schedule) using gross monthly income minus allowed deductions (taxes, prior support, spousal maintenance).
- Add child-specific costs: health insurance premium for the child, work-related childcare (minus tax credit), and agreed/extraordinary medical costs.
- The court applies the Form 14 presumptive amount. A judge may deviate only with written findings that the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate.
- The order is entered, typically with income withholding; Missouri does not impose an additional county residency requirement beyond the 90-day state rule.
- To modify: file a motion showing a substantial change in circumstances; a 20% or greater change from the existing amount creates a presumption of changed circumstances.
◈ Illustrative examples
Scenario: Parent A earns $3,600/month; Parent B earns $2,400/month. One child. Combined adjusted gross = $6,000/month.
Walk-through: Under RSMo § 452.340 and Form 14 (2026 schedule), combined adjusted gross of $6,000 with one child equals $1,045 base. Parent A (60%) owes $627; Parent B (40%) owes $418. Health insurance and work-related childcare are added and split by income; an overnight-visitation credit (generally at 36+ overnights) can lower the paying parent's share.
Takeaway: Missouri's Form 14 produces a presumptive amount split by income percentage; parenting time (36+ overnights) can reduce the payment.
Scenario: The child is 18 but enrolled full-time in college.
Walk-through: Missouri support generally ends at 18, but can extend to age 21 if the child is enrolled in college (addressed on Form 14 / the support order).
Takeaway: Unlike many states, Missouri may continue support through college to age 21 when the child is enrolled.
? Frequently asked questions
↗ Official policy & agency links
Sources verified: https://www.courts.mo.gov/ · https://dss.mo.gov/child-support/ · https://divorce.law/guides/child-support/missouri · https://legalclarity.org/how-much-is-child-support-in-missouri-amounts-calculations