The Pennsylvania Supreme Court approved major revisions to the child support guidelines on August 11, 2025. These changes took effect January 1, 2026 and apply to new support orders and modifications filed on or after that date.
What Changed in Pennsylvania Child Support for 2026
Pennsylvania's child support guidelines underwent their most significant revision in years, effective January 1, 2026. The changes affect the support schedule, the income thresholds, and the underlying assumptions built into the formula. For families with active support orders or those about to enter the system, understanding what changed — and whether it affects your case — is important.
Key Changes to the Support Formula
The Income Floor Moved Up
The prior schedule started at $1,100 per month in combined net income. The new schedule starts at $1,300 per month. This reflects updated economic data used to calculate the cost of raising children in Pennsylvania.
Low-Income Payors See Significant Reductions
For payors with net monthly income under $2,000, the new guidelines include substantial reductions — up to 80% less than what the prior schedule would have required in some circumstances. This represents a meaningful change for the lowest-income support payors in Pennsylvania, acknowledging that support obligations in this income range had become disproportionate to actual financial capacity.
Middle-Income Cases See Modest Increases
For combined net monthly incomes in the $4,000–$15,000 range, the new schedule reflects moderate increases of roughly 3–9%. This reflects the updated economic data on child-rearing costs used to build the new schedule.
The 30% Custody Assumption Is Gone
The prior schedule had a 30% overnight custody assumption built into the basic support calculation — meaning the calculation assumed the non-primary parent had the children roughly 30% of the time. The new schedule removes that embedded assumption. The custody schedule now interacts with the support formula differently, and the shared custody adjustment that applies when a non-primary parent has 40% or more of overnights works from a cleaner baseline.
Example: For parents with a combined net monthly income of $5,000 and two children, the specific impact of the new schedule depends on each party's income and the actual custody arrangement. The change may increase, decrease, or have no effect on a given case — there is no universal outcome.
Active Orders vs. New Cases
New Cases Filed On or After January 1, 2026
All new support orders entered on or after January 1, 2026 use the new schedule. If you are filing for child support now, the new guidelines apply to your case.
Existing Support Orders
An existing support order does not automatically change because the guidelines changed. To modify an existing order, you must file a petition for modification and demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances — or in some cases, the guidelines change itself may support a modification petition if the result under the new schedule differs significantly from the current order.
Pennsylvania Rule 1910.19(c) provides that a material and substantial change in circumstances — which can include a significant change in the applicable guidelines — may be grounds for modification. This is worth analyzing for any existing order that predates January 1, 2026.
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Contact UsHow Support Cases Work in Allegheny County Under the New Guidelines
Support conferences in Allegheny County are conducted by phone with all parties and a domestic relations officer. The officer calculates the guideline amount using the new schedule and the income information submitted. If the parties agree at the conference, a consent order is entered.
If there is disagreement — about income, about the guideline amount, or about a requested deviation — the matter proceeds to a separate in-person hearing before a hearing officer. As of January 2022, Allegheny County separates the conference and hearing onto different dates.
Preparation matters at both stages. The numbers entered at the conference level can be difficult to change without a formal hearing.
When the Formula Does not Apply
The guideline amount is presumptively correct — but courts can deviate from it based on specific factors, including:
- Unusual needs of the child (medical, educational, or therapeutic expenses)
- Other support obligations of either parent
- Assets of the child or either parent
- Standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the household had not separated
- Other relevant circumstances that make the guideline amount unjust or inappropriate
Deviation arguments require preparation and documentation. The guideline amount is a starting point, not a ceiling or a floor.
How the New Guidelines Affect Your Specific Case
The impact of the 2026 guidelines depends on your specific incomes, your custody arrangement, any health insurance obligations, and childcare costs. There is no general answer that applies to all cases.
If you have questions about how the new guidelines affect what you may pay or what to expect to receive in child support in Allegheny County, the first call is free and Attorney Levine handles these cases personally.