Connecticut Increases Net Income Schedule for Child Support Guidelines Effective August 1, 2026

By: Rachel A. Pencu

Effective August 1, 2026, Connecticut’s Child Support Guidelines were updated to increase the combined weekly net income level covered by the presumptive child support schedule from $4,000 per week to $6,000 per week. This change may materially affect child support orders in higher-income cases, including cases in which support was previously set at the presumptive minimum because the parties’ combined net income exceeded the prior guideline schedule.

What changed?

Before August 1, 2026, the guidelines’ presumptive support amounts were calculated using a schedule that extended to combined net income of $4,000 per week. In cases above that amount, the guidelines established both a presumptive minimum support amount and a presumptive maximum support amount, sometimes called a “presumptive range,” allowing the court to enter a child support order, within that presumptive range, based on the circumstances of the case without having to deviate.

With the updated guidelines, the presumptive schedule now extends to combined net income of $6,000 per week. As a result, some families whose income previously exceeded the highest scheduled amount and therefore fell within a presumptive range with a minimum and maximum, may now fall within the expanded schedule for which there is a presumptive support amount.

Why this matters for current child support recipients and payors

Individuals who are currently receiving child support based on the prior presumptive minimum should review their orders in light of the expanded guidelines. If the parties’ combined net income is between $4,000 and $6,000 per week, the existing order may no longer be consistent with the updated child support guidelines. Even if the parties’ combined net income is over $6,000 per week, the existing order may not be appropriate considering the higher presumptive minimum support amount. 

In appropriate circumstances, this change may support a motion to modify child support. A recipient may be entitled to an upward modification if the updated guideline calculation results in a presumptive amount higher than the existing order. Similarly, a payor may be entitled to a downward modification if the updated guideline calculation results in a presumptive amount lower than the existing order.  Whether a modification is warranted will depend on the specific facts of the case, including the parties’ current incomes, the terms of the existing order, and any other factors relevant under Connecticut law.

How we can help

Our family law attorneys, including a former Connecticut Superior Court judge and a former member and Co-Chair of the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines Commission, have a great deal of experience analyzing and applying the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines and are available to assist with any child support issues or questions you may have.

If you receive or pay child support and believe your order may have been affected by the August 1, 2026 changes to the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines, we encourage you to contact Cohen and Wolf’s experienced family law attorneys to have your order reviewed promptly. We can evaluate your current order, analyze the parties' current combined weekly net income under the updated guidelines, and determine whether the changes provide a basis for seeking a modification. Our Connecticut family law attorneys can also advise you regarding the timing, strategy, and likelihood of success of a modification request and help you determine the best path forward.

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