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3 Child Support Models, Explained
Percentage of income — a flat or graduated percentage of the paying parent's net income, based on number of children (used by Texas, Wisconsin, and others).
Income shares — combines both parents' incomes, looks up a base obligation from the state's official schedule, then splits it proportionally (used by most states).
Melson formula — a more complex income-shares variant with a self-support reserve and standard-of-living adjustment (used only by Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana).