CHILD SUPPORT CALCULATION WORKSHEET
State of Iowa — Income Shares Model (Iowa Court Rules Chapter 9)
Table of Contents
- Case Information
- Children Subject to This Order
- Gross Income Determination
- Adjusted Gross Income
- Basic Child Support Obligation
- Additional Expenses
- Shared Parenting and Adjustments
- Total Child Support Obligation
- Deviation Factors
- Duration and Modification
- State-Specific Notes
- Sources and References
1. Case Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court, [________________________________] County |
| Case Number | [________________________________] |
| Parent A (Custodial) | [________________________________] |
| Parent B (Non-Custodial) | [________________________________] |
| Date of Worksheet | [__/__/____] |
| Type of Action | ☐ Initial Determination ☐ Modification ☐ Review |
2. Children Subject to This Order
| # | Child's Full Name | Date of Birth | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [________________________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] |
| 2 | [________________________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] |
| 3 | [________________________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] |
| 4 | [________________________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] |
| 5 | [________________________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] |
Total Number of Children: [____]
Custody Arrangement:
☐ Primary Physical Care — Parent A
☐ Primary Physical Care — Parent B
☐ Shared Physical Care (each parent has 128+ overnights/year)
☐ Split Physical Care
3. Gross Income Determination
Parent A — Monthly Gross Income
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Salary / Wages | $ [________________________________] |
| Commissions / Bonuses | $ [________________________________] |
| Self-Employment Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Overtime | $ [________________________________] |
| Dividends / Interest | $ [________________________________] |
| Rental Income (net) | $ [________________________________] |
| Pension / Retirement | $ [________________________________] |
| Social Security Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Workers' Compensation | $ [________________________________] |
| Unemployment Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Disability Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Trust Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Alimony / Spousal Support Received | $ [________________________________] |
| Farm Income (net) | $ [________________________________] |
| Other Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Total Monthly Gross Income — Parent A | $ [________________________________] |
Parent B — Monthly Gross Income
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Salary / Wages | $ [________________________________] |
| Commissions / Bonuses | $ [________________________________] |
| Self-Employment Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Overtime | $ [________________________________] |
| Dividends / Interest | $ [________________________________] |
| Rental Income (net) | $ [________________________________] |
| Pension / Retirement | $ [________________________________] |
| Social Security Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Workers' Compensation | $ [________________________________] |
| Unemployment Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Disability Benefits | $ [________________________________] |
| Trust Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Alimony / Spousal Support Received | $ [________________________________] |
| Farm Income (net) | $ [________________________________] |
| Other Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Total Monthly Gross Income — Parent B | $ [________________________________] |
4. Adjusted Gross Income
| Deduction | Parent A | Parent B |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-existing court-ordered child support | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Court-ordered spousal support paid | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Qualified additional dependent deduction | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Total Deductions | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Adjusted Gross Income | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
Combined Monthly Adjusted Gross Income: $ [________________________________]
Percentage of Combined Income:
- Parent A: [____] %
- Parent B: [____] %
5. Basic Child Support Obligation
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Combined Monthly Adjusted Gross Income | $ [________________________________] |
| Number of Children | [____] |
| Basic Child Support Obligation (from 2026 Schedule) | $ [________________________________] |
| Parent A's Proportionate Share ([____]%) | $ [________________________________] |
| Parent B's Proportionate Share ([____]%) | $ [________________________________] |
6. Additional Expenses
Health Insurance
| Item | Parent A | Parent B |
|---|---|---|
| Children's health insurance premium | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Children's dental/vision insurance | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Total Insurance Costs | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
Childcare Costs (Add-On)
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly work/education-related childcare costs | $ [________________________________] |
| Parent A's proportionate share ([____]%) | $ [________________________________] |
| Parent B's proportionate share ([____]%) | $ [________________________________] |
Extraordinary Expenses
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Uninsured medical/dental expenses | $ [________________________________] |
| Extraordinary educational expenses | $ [________________________________] |
| Other extraordinary expenses | $ [________________________________] |
| Total Extraordinary Expenses | $ [________________________________] |
7. Shared Parenting and Adjustments
☐ Shared physical care applies (each parent has 128+ overnights)
☐ Standard calculation applies
Shared Physical Care Calculation
| Item | Parent A | Parent B |
|---|---|---|
| Each parent's obligation (as if other had primary care) | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Net offset | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Net support obligation | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
Parent obligated to pay: ☐ Parent A ☐ Parent B
8. Total Child Support Obligation
| Component | Parent A | Parent B |
|---|---|---|
| Share of Basic Obligation | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Shared Care Adjustment (if applicable) | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Health Insurance Adjustment | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Childcare Add-On Share | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Extraordinary Expenses Share | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Total Obligation | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
| Less: Direct Expenditures Credit | ($ [____________]) | ($ [____________]) |
| Net Monthly Child Support Payment | $ [____________] | $ [____________] |
Monthly Child Support Payment: $ [________________________________]
Parent Obligated to Pay: ☐ Parent A ☐ Parent B
9. Deviation Factors
☐ No variance requested
☐ Variance requested based on:
☐ Extraordinary educational expenses
☐ Extraordinary medical expenses
☐ Special needs of the child
☐ Income of the child
☐ Tax consequences
☐ Shared physical care arrangement
☐ Travel expenses for visitation
☐ Substantial hardship to either parent
☐ Other: [________________________________]
Proposed variance amount: $ [________________________________]
Justification:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
10. Duration and Modification
Duration of Support:
- Support continues until the child reaches age 18, or
- Through high school graduation if the child is still enrolled and under age 19
- ☐ Child is emancipated
- ☐ Child marries
- ☐ Child enters active military duty
- ☐ Post-secondary education support ordered (Iowa Code § 598.21F)
- ☐ Other terminating event: [________________________________]
Modification:
☐ This is a modification of a prior order dated [__/__/____]
☐ Existing order amount: $ [____________] per month
☐ Recalculated amount: $ [____________] per month
☐ Substantial change in circumstances: ☐ Yes ☐ No
11. State-Specific Notes
-
Income Shares Model: Iowa uses the Income Shares Model, combining both parents' adjusted gross incomes to determine the total child support obligation.
-
2026 Schedule Update: The Iowa Supreme Court updated the Schedule of Basic Support Obligations effective January 1, 2026, reflecting a 21% increase in consumer prices. Average obligation increases are 7.6% (one child), 10.5% (two children), and 11.6% (three children).
-
Childcare as Add-On: Effective with the 2026 update, childcare costs are treated as a straightforward add-on to the basic obligation rather than requiring a variance justification.
-
Shared Physical Care Threshold: Shared physical care (128+ overnights each parent) triggers a different calculation methodology using offset obligations.
-
Farm Income: Iowa includes net farm income in gross income calculations, which is particularly relevant given the state's agricultural economy.
-
Post-Secondary Education: Iowa courts may order parents to contribute to post-secondary education costs under Iowa Code § 598.21F.
12. Sources and References
- Iowa Court Rules Chapter 9 — Child Support Guidelines
- Iowa Court Rules Chapter 9 (May 2025 version)
- Iowa Judicial Branch — Child Support
- Iowa Child Support Guidelines Worksheet
CERTIFICATION
I declare under penalty of perjury that the information provided in this worksheet is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Parent A Signature: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____]
Parent B Signature: [________________________________] Date: [__/__/____]
Attorney for Parent A: [________________________________] Bar #: [____________]
Attorney for Parent B: [________________________________] Bar #: [____________]
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