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North Carolina child support: Worksheets A, B and C explained

North Carolina sets child support with an income shares schedule built on both parents' gross income, then picks one of three worksheets depending on where the children sleep. Here is how each step works, with real numbers from the current schedule.

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At a glance

ModelIncome shares on combined monthly adjusted gross income (Guidelines AOC-A-162, effective January 1, 2023)
WorksheetsA: primary custody. B: shared custody (123+ nights with each parent). C: split custody
Minimum order$50 per month when the paying parent's adjusted gross income is under $1,150
Self-support reserve$1,133 per month (2022 federal poverty level for one person), built into the schedule's shaded area
Support endsAge 18, or later if still in primary or secondary school, but no later than age 20
ModificationA 15% difference is presumed a substantial change when the order is at least 3 years old
AgencyNC Child Support Services, NC Department of Health and Human Services

How North Carolina calculates child support

North Carolina's guidelines start from gross income, meaning income before federal and state income taxes and before Social Security or Medicare. Each parent's monthly gross income is adjusted for support they already pay under other orders and for other children living in their home, then the two adjusted figures are added together.

That combined figure is looked up in the Schedule of Basic Support Obligations. The schedule moves in $50 steps of combined income from $0 to $40,000 a month, and amounts that fall between two rows are interpolated. Above $40,000 a month, the judge sets support case by case.

Which worksheet you use depends on overnights. Worksheet A covers the common case where one parent has the children 243 or more nights a year. Worksheet B applies when each parent has at least 123 nights. Worksheet C is for split custody, when each parent has primary custody of at least one of the children.

Worked example: North Carolina

  1. Parent A earns $6,000 a month gross and Parent B earns $4,000. Their combined adjusted gross income is $10,000.
  2. The North Carolina schedule row for $10,000 with two children shows a basic obligation of $1,913 a month.
  3. Parent A earns 60% of the combined income, so Parent A's share is $1,148 a month and Parent B's share is $765.
  4. On Worksheet A, with the children living mainly with Parent B, Parent A pays $1,148 a month ($13,776 a year) before any health insurance or child care is added.

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.

Shared custody in North Carolina: the 123-night line

Worksheet B applies only when the children live with each parent at least 123 nights a year. It raises the basic obligation by 50% to reflect the cost of two homes, gives each parent a share based on income, and multiplies each share by the time the children spend with the other parent. The parent with the larger result pays the difference.

In the example above, if Parent A has the children 146 nights and Parent B has 219, Worksheet B gives a payment from Parent A of about $574 a month instead of $1,148. With exactly equal time it drops to about $287. A schedule that stops at 122 nights stays on Worksheet A, so count overnights carefully before you agree to a calendar.

Health insurance, medical bills and child care

The premium paid for the children's health insurance is added to the basic obligation and split by income. The schedule already includes $250 per child per year for uninsured medical and dental costs; the court decides how costs above that are divided. Reasonable child care paid because of a parent's job or job search is also added and split by income.

Low income and the $50 minimum

The schedule protects a self-support reserve of $1,133 a month for the paying parent. In the shaded area of the schedule on Worksheet A, support is figured from the paying parent's income alone, and child care and insurance premiums are not added. When the paying parent's adjusted gross income is under $1,150 a month, the guidelines call for a minimum order of $50 a month.

Children from another relationship

Support a parent actually pays under another order is subtracted from that parent's gross income. For other children living in the parent's home, the deduction equals the basic obligation for those children based on that parent's income alone. Having a new child is not by itself a reason to modify an existing order.

When support ends and how to change it

Support ends at 18. If the child is still in primary or secondary school at 18, it continues until graduation, until the child stops attending regularly or stops making satisfactory progress, or until age 20, whichever comes first.

To change an order you must show a substantial change of circumstances. If the order is at least three years old and the guidelines would now produce an amount that differs by 15% or more, the change is presumed substantial.

Collection and enforcement

NC Child Support Services, part of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, helps parents establish paternity, set up orders, and collect payments. Its online Worksheet A, B and C calculators follow the same schedule used above.

Documents you will need

North Carolina child support FAQ

Is there an official North Carolina child support calculator for 2026?

Yes. NC DHHS publishes online versions of Worksheets A, B and C that use the guidelines effective January 1, 2023, which are still in force in 2026. The guidelines say the next review happens during 2026, so check for a new schedule before filing.

How is child support calculated in North Carolina?

Both parents' monthly gross incomes are adjusted and combined, the schedule gives a basic obligation for that income and number of children, and each parent owes a share in proportion to income. Insurance premiums and work-related child care are added, and the worksheet (A, B or C) depends on overnights.

How much is child support for 2 kids in North Carolina?

It depends on combined income. At $10,000 a month combined, the schedule's basic obligation for two children is $1,913. A parent earning 60% of that income would pay about $1,148 a month on Worksheet A, before insurance and child care.

Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in North Carolina?

Not necessarily. With equal time, Worksheet B still applies and the higher earner usually pays the difference. In our example with a 60/40 income split and two children, equal time leaves about $287 a month. Support nets to zero only if incomes are also about equal.

Does North Carolina child support continue after 18?

Only while the child is still in primary or secondary school and making satisfactory progress, and never past age 20. College costs are not part of guideline support.

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 North Carolina.