For very high earners, child support can go below guideline, and spousal support is tied to the marital standard of living.

Starting in 2026, California payors can’t deduct spousal support for state tax, and recipients no longer report it as state income.

A spouse convicted of domestic violence against the other is presumed not entitled to receive spousal support.

After DissoMaster was discontinued in 2025, XSpouse became one of the most widely used support calculation tools.

DissoMaster, long used to calculate guideline support in California, was discontinued on March 31, 2025.

Child support uses a statewide formula based on each parent’s income, the number of children and the custody timeshare.

SB 343, effective September 1, 2024, made the most significant updates to California’s child support guidelines in decades.

A Gavron warning tells a supported spouse they must make good-faith efforts to become self-supporting within a reasonable time.

A spousal support buyout replaces ongoing monthly support with a single lump-sum payment.

Family Code 4320 lists the factors courts must weigh in setting the amount and duration of long-term spousal support.

Child support can affect your credit score, mainly when payments are missed or go unpaid for an extended period.

The marital standard of living is the lifestyle a couple kept during marriage, and it matters in setting spousal support.

California uses a Smith Ostler order to set support on base pay and add a set percentage of bonuses when they are received.

DissoMaster was the software California courts and attorneys used to calculate guideline child and spousal support.

A vocational evaluation is a court-ordered exam that measures how much a spouse could earn.

For a self-employed parent, support income is gross receipts minus the expenses required to operate the business.

California collects unpaid support through wage withholding, 10% interest, license suspension, tax refund intercepts and contempt.

Child support add-ons are extra costs, like child care and uninsured health care, added on top of the guideline amount.