Sec. 154.125. APPLICATION OF GUIDELINES TO NET RESOURCES. (a) The guidelines for the support of a child in this section are specifically designed to apply to situations in which the obligor's monthly net resources are not greater than the maximum amount of net resources to which the statutory guidelines are applicable, as most recently published by the Title IV-D agency in the Texas Register.
(a-1) The amount prescribed by Subsection (a) is adjusted every six years as necessary to reflect inflation. The Title IV-D agency shall compute the adjusted amount, to take effect beginning September 1 of the year of the adjustment, based on the percentage change in the consumer price index during the 72-month period preceding March 1 of the year of the adjustment, as rounded to the nearest $50 increment. The Title IV-D agency shall publish the adjusted amount in the Texas Register before September 1 of the year in which the adjustment takes effect. For purposes of this subsection, "consumer price index" has the meaning assigned by Section 341.201, Finance Code.
(b) If the obligor's monthly net resources are not greater than the amount described by Subsection (a) and the obligor's monthly net resources are equal to or greater than the amount described by Subsection (c), the court shall presumptively apply the following schedule in rendering the child support order:
CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
BASED ON THE MONTHLY NET RESOURCES OF THE OBLIGOR
1 child 20% of Obligor's Net Resources
2 children 25% of Obligor's Net Resources
3 children 30% of Obligor's Net Resources
4 children 35% of Obligor's Net Resources
5 children 40% of Obligor's Net Resources
6+ children Not less than the amount for 5 children
(c) If the obligor's monthly net resources are less than $1,000, the court shall presumptively apply the following schedule in rendering the child support order:
LOW-INCOME CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
BASED ON THE MONTHLY NET RESOURCES OF THE OBLIGOR
1 child 15% of Obligor's Net Resources
2 children 20% of Obligor's Net Resources
3 children 25% of Obligor's Net Resources
4 children 30% of Obligor's Net Resources
5 children 35% of Obligor's Net Resources
6+ children Not less than the amount for 5 children
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 620 (H.B. 448), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 767 (S.B. 865), Sec. 5, eff. June 19, 2009.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 552 (S.B. 286), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2021.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 5 - The Parent-Child Relationship and the Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship
Subtitle B - Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship
Subchapter C. Child Support Guidelines
Section 154.121. Guidelines for the Support of a Child
Section 154.122. Application of Guidelines Rebuttably Presumed in Best Interest of Child
Section 154.123. Additional Factors for Court to Consider
Section 154.124. Agreement Concerning Support
Section 154.125. Application of Guidelines to Net Resources
Section 154.126. Application of Guidelines to Additional Net Resources
Section 154.127. Partial Termination of Support Obligation
Section 154.128. Computing Support for Children in More Than One Household
Section 154.129. Alternative Method of Computing Support for Children in More Than One Household
Section 154.130. Findings in Child Support Order
Section 154.131. Retroactive Child Support
Section 154.132. Application of Guidelines to Children of Certain Disabled Obligors
Section 154.133. Application of Guidelines to Children of Obligors Receiving Social Security