Nevada bases the standard child support obligation on the paying parent's gross monthly income alone, run through a tiered percentage schedule — not on both parents' combined income the way most income shares states do. The percentage depends on how many children are involved and drops as income climbs into higher brackets. Medical support and child care costs then get added on top. The one major exception is joint physical custody, where Nevada calculates both parents' obligations separately and has the higher earner pay the difference.
Nevada's tiered percentage-of-income formula under NAC 425.140, why it isn't a true income shares model, what counts as gross income, how joint physical custody changes the calculation, worked examples, the low-income schedule and $100 minimum order, medical support and child care add-ons, deviation factors, income imputation, and how modification and termination work.
Nevada's model: a percentage of the paying parent's income
Nevada's child support framework comes from NRS 125B.070 and the detailed guidelines in NAC Chapter 425, which the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services overhauled effective February 1, 2020. That revision replaced the state's old flat percentages (18% for one child, 25% for two, and so on) with the tiered, bracket-based formula still in use today.
Most states use an income shares model — combine both parents' incomes, look up a household obligation, then split it proportionally. Nevada's standard formula skips that step. It runs the obligor's (the paying parent's) gross monthly income through the schedule below and stops there. Nevada calls it a percentage-of-income model for this reason, and it's a meaningful difference to understand before you estimate your own numbers.
The tiered percentage schedule
Under NAC 425.140, the base obligation is the sum of a percentage applied to each income bracket — not one flat rate applied to the whole paycheck.
| Children | First $6,000 of income | $6,000–$10,000 | Above $10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 16% | 8% | 4% |
| 2 children | 22% | 11% | 6% |
| 3 children | 26% | 13% | 6% |
| 4 children | 28% | 14% | 7% |
| Each additional child | +2% | +1% | +0.5% |
The brackets stack. For one child, a parent pays 16% on the first $6,000 of monthly gross income, then 8% on the slice between $6,000 and $10,000, then 4% on anything above $10,000 — not 16% of the entire income.
What counts as gross income in Nevada
Under NAC 425.025, gross income casts a wide net: wages, salary, substantial and consistent overtime, commissions and bonuses, self-employment income, pensions and retirement payments, Social Security and disability benefits, unemployment insurance, military allowances, alimony received, and undistributed business income for a parent who controls the business. It excludes child support received, means-tested public assistance like SNAP and SSI, foster care payments, and personal injury compensation that isn't meant to replace income.
If a court finds a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed without good cause, NAC 425.125 lets the court impute income based on the parent's work history, job skills, education, and the local job market, rather than accepting a reduced paycheck at face value.
Joint physical custody: when both parents become obligors
The percentage-only approach applies when one parent has primary physical custody. It changes under NAC 425.115 once both parents have joint physical custody — generally understood in Nevada as each parent having the child at least 40% of the year. In that scenario, the court calculates each parent's obligation separately using the same tiered schedule, based on each parent's own income, and then offsets the two figures: the parent with the higher calculated obligation pays the other parent the difference.
If parents have more than one child and share joint custody of only some of them, the formula is applied separately depending on which children each parent owes support for. This offset approach is the closest Nevada's system comes to a true income shares model — it only shows up when custody is close to equal.
Worked example — primary custody
This is a hypothetical example for illustration only, using rounded figures. Use the child support calculator for an estimate based on your own numbers.
Medical support and any court-ordered share of child care costs would be added to this base figure. This example is illustrative only — a real order also depends on deviation factors and each parent's specific circumstances.
Worked example — joint physical custody offset
Both parents have the child at least 40% of the year, so both are treated as obligors under NAC 425.115.
Rather than one parent owing the full calculated amount, only the gap between the two obligations changes hands. This is illustrative only; real orders also factor in medical support and child care costs.
The low-income schedule and the $100 minimum order
Nevada protects lower earners with a separate track. Under NAC 425.145, if a parent's total economic circumstances limit their ability to pay the standard schedule amount, the court uses a low-income schedule tied to federal poverty guidelines, which the Nevada Administrative Office of the Courts publishes annually by March 31. Below the lowest income level on that schedule, the court has discretion to set an amount that balances the parent's own need for self-support against the child's needs.
Medical support and child care costs
Every Nevada child support order must include a medical support provision under NAC 425.135 — typically health, vision, or dental coverage. Coverage counts as "reasonable in cost" if the premium for adding the child is no more than 5% of the responsible parent's gross monthly income. Reasonable work-related child care costs are considered separately under NAC 425.130 and divided equitably between the parents, on top of the base percentage obligation.
When courts deviate from the schedule
The calculated amount isn't automatically final. NAC 425.150 lists factors a court can weigh to adjust the obligation up or down, provided it makes specific written findings: a child's special educational needs, a parent's legal responsibility to support other dependents, the value of in-kind services either parent contributes, public assistance already paid toward the child, transportation costs tied to visitation, the relative income of both households, other necessary child-related expenses, and the paying parent's overall ability to pay.
If an obligor is incarcerated or involuntarily institutionalized for 180 consecutive days or more, NAC 425.155 treats that as a substantial change in circumstances that can justify a review — and income is not imputed to a parent in that situation the way it might be for voluntary unemployment.
For a broader look at how property and spousal support fit alongside child support in a Nevada divorce, see the Nevada divorce finances overview. We also have a companion guide on how alimony is calculated in Nevada, where courts weigh 11 discretionary factors rather than a fixed schedule.
Modification and when support ends
Under NAC 425.170, an existing order can only be modified based on a genuine change in circumstances — the state simply updating its guidelines is not, by itself, enough to justify reopening a case. Receiving public assistance is one circumstance that specifically allows for review. Support generally continues until a child turns 18, or turns 19 if the child is still in high school at 18, whichever comes first, per NAC 425.160. For a general walkthrough of how modification petitions typically work, see our guide on child support modification.
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Common questions about Nevada child support
How is child support calculated in Nevada? Nevada applies a tiered percentage schedule to the paying parent's gross monthly income under NAC 425.140 — the percentage depends on the number of children and drops as income rises through the $6,000 and $10,000 brackets. Medical support and child care costs are added on top. For a broader explanation of how other states approach this differently, see our general guide on how child support is calculated.
Does Nevada use an income shares model? Not in the standard case. Nevada calculates support from the paying parent's income alone rather than combining both parents' incomes first. The exception is joint physical custody, where both parents' obligations are calculated separately and offset — functionally similar to an income shares approach.
How does joint custody affect Nevada child support? Once each parent has the child at least 40% of the time, both parents are treated as obligors. The court calculates each parent's obligation under the same schedule and has the higher earner pay the other parent only the difference between the two amounts.
What is Nevada's minimum child support order? $100 per month per child under NRS 125B.080, unless the court makes a written finding that the paying parent cannot afford even that amount. Voluntary unemployment or underemployment doesn't qualify as a reason to go lower.
Educational purposes only. This article provides general information about how Nevada child support is typically calculated and is not legal or financial advice. Every case is different and outcomes vary significantly based on specific circumstances, judicial discretion, local rules, and factors not captured here. Always consult a licensed family law attorney in Nevada for advice specific to your situation.