DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Supreme Court has approved significant updates to the state’s child support guidelines to better reflect today’s cost of living and ensure fairness in support orders.
Chief Justice Susan Christensen signed the order after reviewing recommendations from the Iowa Child Support Guidelines Review Committee, which is required by federal law to update the rules every four years. The 2025 report focused on inflation, income trends, and federal requirements tied to raising children.
Key changes include:
-
Inflation adjustment: Prices have risen about 21% since the last update. The new schedule reflects these changes, with average support increases of roughly 7.6% for one child, 10.5% for two, and 11.6% for three children.
-
Low-income parents: The state now uses the federal poverty guideline instead of minimum wage to determine the lowest income brackets. Some very low-income parents could see small decreases in support—up to $54 per month.
-
High-income parents: The schedule now covers families with combined monthly incomes up to $30,000 (previously $25,000). Parents earning over $20,000 may see larger increases since prior caps have been removed.
-
Childcare and medical costs: Childcare expenses are now treated as an “add-on” split between parents. The medical support table has been updated to match the new income ranges.
-
Large families: Support for four or more children remains capped at about 50% of disposable income to comply with federal withholding limits.
The court said these changes meet all state and federal requirements, making child support orders more predictable, consistent, and aligned with the actual costs of raising children in Iowa.
Leave a Reply