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Arizona child support: the 2022 Guidelines, parenting-time days, and a worked example

Arizona's child support rules are written by the Arizona Supreme Court. The 2022 Guidelines, still the version in force, combine both parents' gross incomes, add a few child-related costs, and then subtract a parenting time credit that grows in steps with the number of days the paying parent spends with the children. Here is each step, with numbers.

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At a glance

ModelIncome shares on combined adjusted Child Support Income (gross), under A.R.S. 25-320 and the Supreme Court's Guidelines
Guidelines in force2022 Arizona Child Support Guidelines, effective January 1, 2022 (revised September 21, 2022)
Schedule rangeUp to $30,000 of combined monthly income; above it, the $30,000 amount unless a party proves the child needs more
Parenting time creditFrom 2.5% of the basic obligation at 20 days a year up to 50% at 164 or more days
Low incomeSelf-Support Reserve Test: 80% of full-time earnings at the Arizona minimum wage
Support endsPresumptively at the end of the month of the youngest child's 18th birthday, or at high school graduation (up to 19) if the child will still be in school
ModificationSubstantial and continuing change; a 15% variance qualifies and opens the simplified procedure

From Child Support Income to the basic obligation

The Guidelines call each parent's starting figure Child Support Income: income from any source before deductions or withholding, because the schedule already accounts for taxes. That includes wages, commissions, bonuses, self-employment profit (after half the self-employment tax), rental income, Social Security, disability, unemployment, recurring gifts, spousal maintenance received, and continuing military allowances such as BAH and BAS. Courts generally count no more than full-time earnings, so a parent can usually work overtime or a second job without raising support, unless that income was historically earned and is expected to continue. Income can be attributed to a parent who is unemployed or underemployed, presumptively at least full-time state or federal minimum wage, whichever is higher, but not to someone who is incarcerated.

Court-ordered spousal maintenance paid in this case and child support actually paid for other children are subtracted, and a parent who is the primary residential parent of another child can reduce their income by that child's amount from the schedule. The two adjusted incomes are added and looked up on the Schedule of Basic Support Obligations. Arizona then raises the basic obligation by 10% for each child older than 12 (prorated when only some of the children are), and adds medical, dental and vision insurance for the children, work-related child care, agreed or ordered private or special school costs, and costs for a gifted or special-needs child. Expenses that vary through the year are annualized so the monthly order stays level.

Worked example: Arizona

  1. Parent A has $6,000 a month of Child Support Income and Parent B has $4,000: $10,000 combined. Both children are under 12, so there is no older-child adjustment.
  2. On the 2022 schedule, the row for $10,000 lists $1,889 for two children. The last row, $30,000, lists $3,911.
  3. Parent A's proportionate share is 60%, or $1,133; Parent B's is 40%, or $756.
  4. If Parent A had almost no parenting time (under 20 days a year), Parent A would pay the full $1,133 a month, about $13,596 a year, before insurance or child care.
  5. With 120 parenting-time days a year, the table gives a 20% adjustment: 20% of the $1,889 basic obligation comes off Parent A's share, so Parent A pays about $756 a month, $378 less.

This is an estimate, not legal advice. Figures are rounded to the dollar and leave out the insurance, childcare, and other adjustments your case may have. Try your own numbers in CoreParent's calculator, then confirm with the state's official calculator.

How Arizona counts parenting-time days

Arizona counts time, not just overnights. Each 24 hours in a block of parenting time is one day; a leftover stretch of 12 hours or more is another full day, 6 to 11 hours is half a day, and 3 to 5 hours is a quarter day. When the exchange happens at school, the receiving parent's time starts when school lets out. The yearly total is matched to the Parenting Time Table: 20 to 34 days earns 2.5%, then 5%, 7.5%, 10% (70 to 84), 15% (85 to 99), 17.5% (100 to 114), 20% (115 to 129), 25% (130 to 142), 32.5% (143 to 152), 40% (153 to 163), and 50% at 164 days or more. The percentage is applied to the basic obligation only, not to insurance or child care.

Essentially equal time does not erase support. Each parent's share is reduced by half the basic obligation, and the parent with the higher income pays the difference; in the example that leaves Parent A paying about $189 a month. Because the credit follows the numbers, a parent with more time can still be ordered to pay, for instance when they earn much more or when the other parent covers the insurance and child care. With several children on different schedules, the Guidelines either average the days or, when each parent has more than half the time with at least one child, use two worksheets and offset them.

Medical insurance and child care in the worksheet

Every order assigns one parent to provide medical insurance for the children. Only the children's portion of the premium is added: the exact cost if known, otherwise the extra cost of dependent coverage divided by the number of dependents. If comparable coverage is available to both parents, the parent with more parenting time is usually assigned. Dental and vision coverage are optional, but are included when a parent provides them. Child care paid so a parent can work or look for work is added too, as long as it fits the parents' finances. Each parent who pays one of these costs directly gets a credit for it after the total is split by income.

The Self-Support Reserve Test

The reserve equals 80% of a month's full-time earnings at the Arizona minimum wage for the year support is calculated. Subtract it from the paying parent's adjusted income. If what remains is at least the guideline amount, the guideline amount is ordered; if it is smaller, the court may lower the order to what remains, and if nothing remains, it may order no support or a nominal amount. Before reducing, the court looks at what the cut would do to the receiving parent's household and runs the same test for that parent. The test applies to current support only, so a payment toward arrears can still be added.

End date, modification, and arrears

Every Arizona order carries a presumptive termination date: the last day of the month in which the youngest child turns 18, or, if the child is projected to still be in high school then, the month of expected graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. When support ends for one of several children, the order is not reduced automatically; a parent has to file to recalculate it for the children still covered.

A modification requires a substantial and continuing change of circumstances. If the Guidelines now produce an amount at least 15% different from the existing order, that counts as evidence of such a change and lets a parent use the simplified procedure with Supreme Court forms; the other parent then has 20 days (30 if served outside Arizona) to request a hearing. Changing who provides medical insurance can also go through the simplified procedure without the 15% test. Unpaid support accrues interest at the rate set in A.R.S. 25-510, and the income withholding order can stay in place after current support ends until arrears and interest are paid. The Division of Child Support Services of the Arizona Department of Economic Security is the state agency.

Documents you will need

Arizona child support FAQ

How is child support calculated in Arizona?

Add both parents' gross Child Support Income, find the basic obligation on the 2022 schedule, add 10% per child over 12 plus insurance and child care, split the total by income share, subtract the parenting time adjustment from the paying parent's share, and apply the Self-Support Reserve Test.

How many days do you need for a parenting time credit in Arizona?

20 days a year earns the first 2.5%. The credit then climbs in steps, to 20% at 115 days and 50% at 164 or more. In our example, 120 days cuts Parent A's payment from $1,133 to about $756.

Do you pay child support with 50/50 custody in Arizona?

Often yes. With essentially equal time each parent gets a 50% credit, and the higher earner pays the difference, about $189 a month in our 60/40 income example. Who pays can also flip depending on who covers insurance and child care.

Does child support go up when a child turns 12 in Arizona?

The Guidelines add 10% to the basic obligation for each child over 12, starting the day after the 12th birthday, because older children cost more. An existing order does not change on its own, though; a parent has to seek a modification.

When does child support end in Arizona?

The order sets a presumptive end date: the end of the month the youngest child turns 18, or graduation up to age 19 if the child is still in high school. Arrears and interest remain collectible afterwards.

Next steps

Sources

Verified against these official sources in October 2026:

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This is general educational information, not legal advice, and official figures change. Last verified: October 2026. Consult a licensed family-law attorney in Arizona.