Washington State’s Child Support Laws for 2026: What’s Changing

You may be worried about how your divorce will affect your children financially. Child support in Washington state is designed to address these concerns. But not as a punishment, as some people erroneously believe. Its purpose is quite the contrary. Child support neither punishes nor rewards either parent. Instead, its purpose is as a tool for providing a stable and consistent living environment for children who are at risk of being sidelined by their parents’ divorce. In other words, child support prioritizes children’s needs, keeping them top of mind. In Washington state, both parents are responsible for supporting their children. If the parents are not married or are separating, one parent may be required to provide child support to ensure the children’s basic needs are met. If you and your child’s other parent are living apart and you have questions about supporting your children, a Seattle family lawyer can help. In the meantime, read more about how child support works in Washington state and what you can expect in 2026 with the upcoming changes in child support laws.

How Does Washington State Define Child Support, Who Pays, and Who Is Entitled to Receive It?

Child support is one of the most hotly contested issues in divorces involving minor children, children under the age of 18. Though each parent is responsible for their share of a child’s expenses, often including daycare, health insurance, out-of-pocket medical costs, and other extraordinary expenses, and even though Washington state uses a detailed formula to calculate child support, parents often disagree about what counts as reasonable child-related expenses or how much each parent earns or should earn. 

In the interest of working with the quantifiable, when making child support determinations, courts apply the Washington Child Support Schedule adopted by the state legislature to calculate the parents’ combined incomes to determine each parent’s portion of the obligation. For example, they consider each parent’s income, certain allowed deductions, the child’s age, and the number of children in the family, among other factors. 

The general rule is that Washington does not calculate the number of days each parent spends with the child(ren). One parent is designated the “primary residential parent,” and the other parent is designated the “non-residential parent.” Typically, the primary residential parent has more days per year than the non-residential parent; however, even in 50-50 schedules, one parent is designated as the primary. There is also case law providing that the primary parent might even have less time.  

At one time, several decades ago, Washington allowed a mandatory “residential credit” for the non-residential parent who had more than 90 days in the year. However, that was revoked. Today, a residential credit is the exception, not the rule, and there are additional requirements to getting one beyond just having “substantial time,” even if you have a 50-50 schedule.

The obligation to pay support to the other parent is likewise not based on who makes more. The non-residential parent pays child support to the primary residential parent. Even under the new child support statute, discussed in more detail below, minimum support may not be less than $50 per child per month except as allowed by RCW 26.19.065(2).

Beyond Washington’s child support formula, parents can sometimes agree on how much support each parent will pay or how they will share expenses. Courts are not obligated to honor such agreements, and such agreements are subject to extra scrutiny to ensure they fall under one of the allowed bases to deviate and also meet the child’s basic needs. So it is wise to have any agreement reviewed by a Seattle family law attorney, put in writing, and filed with a Washington court.

What If You Are Having Trouble Meeting Your Child Support Obligation?

Child support orders apply whether parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and they create a clear picture of financial responsibilities for both parents. But sometimes, they don’t tell a complete story. Sometimes, a parent can’t meet their obligations due to a change in circumstances. 

If you are struggling with a child support order or facing disagreement with your child’s other parent over it, a Washington state divorce lawyer can help. They can assist in modifying or adjusting burdensome obligations and resolving disputes over expenses. 

Failure to pay court-ordered child support can lead to serious consequences, including wage garnishment, contempt findings, attorney fees, or, in extreme cases, jail time. It is important to note that Washington soundly rejects using parenting time as a punishment or leverage to compel child support payment. This is seen as punishing and harmful to the child, not the disobedient parent. If your financial situation changes, it is imperative to notify the court immediately and request a modification or adjustment while paying as much as you can. 

Child support obligations typically end when a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. But child support can continue for postsecondary education in Washington state or end earlier if a child becomes legally emancipated, as discussed in more detail in the following section.

What About Children Who Are Over 18 Years of Age?

In Washington state, the court typically has authority to require parents to financially support their children only through age 18 or until their child graduates from high school, whichever occurs later.  The parents don’t have a legal duty to contribute past that time unless the court orders include provisions for post-secondary educational support or post-majority support for special needs. Even then, such support is not endless.

Post-secondary educational support is also not mandatory. The court considers several factors to determine whether the parents should be required to pay for it and, if so, in what amounts. The factors include age of the child; the child’s needs; the expectations of the parties for their children when the parents were together; the child’s prospects, desires, aptitudes, abilities, or disabilities; the nature of the postsecondary education sought; and the parents’ level of education, standard of living, and current and future resources. Courts also consider the amount and type of support the child would have received if the parents had stayed together.

Additional conditions can apply. The child may be compelled to enroll in an accredited academic or vocational school, actively pursue a course of study commensurate with the child’s vocational goals, and be in good academic standing as defined by the institution. 

The court-ordered postsecondary educational support is automatically suspended during any period or periods in which the child fails to comply with these conditions. Moreover, the child must make all academic records and grades available to both parents as a condition of receiving postsecondary educational support.

The court will not order the payment of postsecondary educational expenses beyond the child’s 23rd birthday, except for exceptional circumstances, such as mental, physical, or emotional disabilities. Thus, if your child has special needs of some type, you may have an argument to make in favor of having your spouse continue contributing.

A critical point to note: You must act while the court still has legal authority to make orders regarding your children. Laws on this subject can vary by state, so be sure to speak with a Washington state family law attorney specifically. They can review your existing child support order to determine whether it addresses your children’s potential post-secondary educational or special needs support, or whether a modification is needed.

What’s Changing in 2026 in Washington’s Child Support Laws?

Starting January 1, 2026, Washington state will implement major updates to child support rules under House Bill 1014, following the 2023 child support work group recommendations. These updates affect anyone seeking a new child support order and will allow parents to modify existing orders.

For lower-income families, the law raises the previous $1,000 combined monthly income threshold to $2,200. The minimum monthly support per child, however, will remain at $50. For higher-income families, the economic table now extends to $50,000 of combined monthly income, up from the prior $12,000 limit. Support obligations and income levels between $2,200 and $12,000 remain the same.

The expanded economic table provides increased clarity for families earning more than $12,000 per month. Raising the limit to $50,000 makes child support amounts more transparent and more consistent across a broader range of incomes, reducing the need for the court to intervene frequently.

The law also now lets parents deduct required state insurance premiums from their gross income, removes educational expenses from the economic table, and raises the self-support reserve to 180 percent of the federal poverty guideline. The reserve protects a parent’s income, making sure it does not fall below a basic support level when calculating child support.

Find a Washington State Family Law Attorney for Support Navigating Child Support Issues

Washington state’s child support laws, including changes coming in 2026, don’t have to feel confusing or overwhelming. When you speak with an experienced Seattle family law attorney at Elise Buie Family Law, you can get the information and guidance you need from a qualified member of our team who understands that every question is important and that your future and that of your children matter. Contact us today or schedule a convenient time to speak.