Child Support Calculation Worksheet - Delaware
Child Support Calculation Worksheet — Delaware
Preparation only. Use this sheet to gather monthly figures and check the steps in the current manual Form 509, Form 509i instructions, or court calculator. This sheet is not a filed calculation. Rule 500(a)(3) requires a formula calculation attached to a consent order resolving new or modified support; it does not prescribe this worksheet as the attachment. For a mediation or hearing, bring the current Child Support Financial Disclosure Report under Rule 16(a) and supporting records as the court directs.
Case: [________________________________] Petition: [________________________________]
Petitioner: [________________________________] Respondent: [________________________________]
Calculation date: [__/__/____] Purpose: ☐ New support ☐ Modification ☐ Review
1. Children and placement
| Child | Date of birth | Parent 1 overnights | Parent 2 overnights | Placement evidence or order date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Name] | [__/__/____] | [____] | [____] | [________________________________] |
| [Name] | [__/__/____] | [____] | [____] | [________________________________] |
| [Name] | [__/__/____] | [____] | [____] | [________________________________] |
Count a child as one half in each household for shared equal placement if each parent has at least 164 annual overnights. Record other arrangements as shown by the current order, agreement, or evidence. Form 509 separately accounts for 80–124 and 125–163 overnights in its parenting time adjustment.
2. Monthly income and allowable deductions
Enter actual monthly amounts for each parent. Convert other pay periods using Form 509i. Identify the records supporting each figure. The formula generally does not subtract federal or state income taxes or ordinary payroll taxes; a documented self-employment tax adjustment and the Rule 502 deductions are separate.
| Form 509 line / input | Parent 1 | Parent 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gross income: wages, second job, other, self-employment, nontaxable | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 2. Nontaxable income adjustment, if applicable | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 3. Documented self-employment adjustment, if applicable | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 4. Allowable deductions: pension, union dues, disability insurance, other, health coverage excluding these children | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 5. Self-support allowance: $1,600 on Rev. 2/26 | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 6. Net income after self-support: line 1 + line 2 − lines 3–5 | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 7A. Other eligible dependent children or adult dependents? | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No |
| 7B. Adjustment: 70% if yes; 100% if no | [____]% | [____]% |
| 8. Available for primary support: line 6 × line 7B | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 9. Share of combined line 8 (nonparent petitioner: see Form 509i) | [____]% | [____]% |
Income records and disputed items: [________________________________________________________]
3. Primary support need
| Form 509 line / input | Parent 1 household | Parent 2 household | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. Children of this union in each household (use halves for shared equal placement) | [____] | [____] | [____] |
| 11. Primary support allowance from current Form 509i table | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 12A. Actual work-related child care | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 12B. Allowable private school or other regular primary expense | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 12C. Portion of premiums for coverage of these children, using Form 509i's 75% or 50% factor | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 13. Total primary need: line 11 + lines 12A–C | — | — | $ [________] |
| 14. Each parent's primary obligation: line 9 share × combined line 13 | $ [________] | $ [________] | — |
The court's formula limits which child care, tuition, and insurance expenses belong here. Attach payment records and use the current instructions to determine the allowable amount.
4. Standard of Living Adjustment (SOLA)
| Form 509 line / input | Parent 1 | Parent 2 | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. Available for SOLA: line 8 − line 14, floor at $0 | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 16A. Excess over $16,000 of each parent's line 15, floor at $0 | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 16B. High-income offset: 30% of combined line 16A, entered for each parent | $ [________] | $ [________] | — |
| 17. SOLA percentage from Form 509 table for combined number of children | [____]% | [____]% | — |
| 18A. Each parent's SOLA: (line 15 − line 16B) × line 17 | $ [________] | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 18B. SOLA per child: combined line 18A ÷ combined line 10 | — | — | $ [________] |
| 19. Gross obligation: line 14 + line 18A | $ [________] | $ [________] | — |
Form 509i lists 12% for one child, 17% for two, 21% for three, and two additional percentage points for each additional child. Check the current form for any later change to those percentages or the $16,000 high-income threshold.
5. Credits and net obligation
| Form 509 line / input | Parent 1 | Parent 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 20. Primary allowance retained: line 11 + (line 10 × line 18B) | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 21. Itemized primary expenses paid: lines 12A–C | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 22A. Parenting time percentage from current Form 509 | [____]% | [____]% |
| 22B. Parenting time adjustment: line 22A × other parent's line 20 | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 23A. Supports children in three or more households? | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No |
| 23B. Self-support protection percentage: 35% if yes; 50% if no | [____]% | [____]% |
| 23C. Maximum obligation: line 8 × line 23B | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 24. Net obligation: line 19 − lines 20, 21, 22B; cap at line 23C | $ [________] | $ [________] |
| 25. Cash medical support share from Form 509 rounding table | [____]% | [____]% |
Proposed payer and monthly payment after applying the current form: [________________________________]
Child disability benefit or other credit requiring separate treatment under the rules: [________________________________]
6. Review before submission
☐ Confirm all figures and calculations against the current Form 509 or court calculator.
☐ Attach income, child care, insurance, and placement records required for the case.
☐ If requesting a departure from the formula, identify the facts and proposed amount for the court. Rule 500 requires findings and reasoning for a contested order that departs from the formula.
☐ If modifying an order, check Rule 508's timing, particularity, and percentage requirements against the date and facts of the existing order.
Prepared by: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____]
Sources: Family Court Rules; Form 509; Form 509i; court calculator.
About this template
- Last updated
- November 6, 2026
- Citations checked
- November 6, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Delaware
- Category
- Family Law
Legal authority
- Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 500(a)(3)
- Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 502(b)(1)
- Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 503(d)
- Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 508
- Delaware Family Court Form 509i, Rev. 2/26, Line 5
- Delaware Family Court Form 509, Rev. 2/26
Family law covers the paperwork that shapes divorce, custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, and other family matters. These filings are emotional and high-stakes, and they also have to meet strict procedural rules for service, financial disclosure, and parenting plans. Clean, accurate paperwork keeps the focus on getting a workable outcome for the family instead of getting derailed by technical problems that delay hearings or force amended filings.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on November 6, 2026.
Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 500(a)(3) (checked November 6, 2026): "Any consent order resolving new support or modification of support petitions must have attached a calculation pursuant to the Formula"
Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 502(b)(1) (checked November 6, 2026): "Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) herein, taxes, either actual or estimated, shall not be deducted in determining available income."
Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 503(d) (checked November 6, 2026): "Shared Equal placement (at least 164 overnights annually in each household) is established by order of the court, by written agreement, or in the absence of any order or written agreement by other evidence."
Delaware Family Court Civil Rule 508 (checked November 6, 2026): "No modification will be ordered unless the new calculation produces a change of more than 10%."
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