What you should know about South Carolina child support

South Carolina uses an income-shares model. The idea is simple: estimate what the parents would have spent on the children if they lived together, then divide that total between the parents in proportion to each parent's share of combined income. The official rules are set by the South Carolina Department of Social Services pursuant to SC Code Ann. § 63-17-470 and the regulations at SC Reg. 114-4710 et seq.

The three SC worksheets

• A Sole Custody — One parent has the children most of the time and the other has standard visitation (less than 110 overnights per year).
• B Shared Custody — Each parent has the children for at least 110 overnights per year AND each parent provides for the children's expenses directly during their time. The 110-overnight threshold is statutory.
• C Split Custody — Each parent has primary physical custody of at least one of the children of the parties.

This estimator approximates Schedule A or B based on the overnight count you enter. Split-custody scenarios should be run on the official SC worksheet.

Income that counts

• Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, overtime, tips.
• Self-employment, partnership, and business income (gross less ordinary & necessary business expenses).
• Pensions, retirement, social security, VA benefits, workers' comp, unemployment.
• Dividends, interest, rental income, trust distributions, gifts and prizes (regular).
• Imputed income — a court can attribute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.

Allowed adjustments to income

• Pre-existing court-ordered child support actually being paid for prior cases.
• A reasonable amount for the parent's other natural or adopted children living in the home.
• Court-ordered alimony actually being paid in the current case may be considered.

Add-ons (added to the basic obligation)

• Children's portion of health insurance premiums.
• Work-related child care expenses.
• Extraordinary medical, dental, vision, or recognized educational expenses.

Self-support reserve

SC builds in a poverty-level self-support reserve so child support does not push a low-income paying parent below a basic subsistence threshold. This estimator uses a simplified $1,300/mo reserve as an approximation; the official figure is updated periodically by DSS based on the federal poverty guideline.

Common deviation factors a court may consider

• Educational expenses for the child(ren) or for either parent.
• Equitable distribution of property in the divorce.
• Consumer debts paid by either parent.
• Unreimbursed extraordinary medical or dental expenses.
• Mandatory retirement or union-fee deductions.
• Support obligations for other dependents the parent legally must support.
• Substantial visitation or transportation costs.
• Six or more children.
• Substantial disparity of income in shared-custody cases.
• Agreement reached between the parties (subject to court approval).
• Alimony being paid or received.
• Other factors the court finds make guideline support unjust or inappropriate.

Combined income above the schedule

When combined adjusted gross income exceeds the top of the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (currently around $30,000/month), the family court uses its discretion to set support. This estimator extends the schedule with a reduced marginal rate as a rough approximation only — at higher incomes you should expect significant variance from a court order.

Modifications

Existing SC orders may generally be modified upon a showing of a substantial change in circumstances — a 20% deviation from the existing order under current guidelines is one common trigger, along with changes in custody, income, or the children's needs.

Where to find the official tools

• South Carolina Department of Social Services — Child Support Services Division (official guidelines, schedule, and worksheets).
• SC Judicial Branch — family court forms and self-help resources.
• South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service, Pro Bono Program.
• South Carolina Legal Services — for income-eligible litigants.

This page is for educational purposes only and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Numbers here are simplified approximations and should be verified against the current official South Carolina DSS Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations and worksheet.