Child Support & Spousal Support (Alimony)

Pennsylvania uses income-based guidelines to calculate child support and spousal support. The guidelines, set forth in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-1 through 1910.16-7, create a presumptive obligation that the court can deviate from based on specific circumstances. How these guidelines work and when the court will depart from them matter greatly to any support matter.

Child Support Guidelines

The basic child support obligation is determined by the combined monthly net income of both parents and the number of children (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3). The obligation is then allocated between the parents in proportion to their respective incomes. A parent earning 60% of the combined income pays 60% of the obligation.

Monthly net income under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2 starts from monthly gross income, which is ordinarily based on at least a six-month average, and then subtracts the deductions the rule allows. The statute defines "income" broadly (23 Pa.C.S. § 4302) to include wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, interest, rents, royalties, dividends, pensions, Social Security benefits (excluding SSI), workers' compensation, and net income from business. If a parent is voluntarily underemployed or unemployed, the court may impute income based on the parent's earning capacity.

Additional expenses under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-6 are added to the basic obligation and apportioned between the parents in proportion to their adjusted incomes. These include health insurance premiums attributable to the children, unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding $250 per year per child, childcare costs necessary for the custodial parent's employment or education, and private school tuition if agreed upon or court-ordered.

Duration of Child Support

Support continues until the last to occur of the child turning 18 or graduating from high school (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.19(e)). Pennsylvania has no automatic cutoff at 19: support can continue past 18 where the parties have agreed to it or the child has special needs, and 23 Pa.C.S. § 4321(3) expressly contemplates liability for a child 18 or older. College costs are not included in the guidelines, but the court can order contribution to post-secondary education under certain circumstances. The obligation may also extend for a child with a disability who remains dependent beyond age 18.

High-Income Cases (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3.1)

When the parties' combined monthly net income exceeds the top of the basic support schedule, the court uses a formula under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-3.1(a) rather than the standard table. In these cases, the trier of fact has broader discretion to consider the reasonable needs of the child and the lifestyle the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact. The court is not required to simply extrapolate from the schedule: it must consider what level of support is appropriate for the specific circumstances.

Spousal Support & Alimony

Spousal support: Paid during the marriage before a divorce is finalized. Calculated using the guidelines (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4): without dependent children, 33% of the obligor's net income minus 40% of the obligee's net income. With dependent children, child support is calculated first, then 25% of the obligor's net income minus 30% of the obligee's net income (minus the obligor's child support obligation). Marital misconduct by the requesting spouse (such as adultery or abandonment) can bar or limit spousal support.

Alimony pendente lite (APL): Similar to spousal support but meant to enable the lower-earning spouse to maintain or defend the divorce action. Calculated the same way as spousal support. Unlike spousal support, APL is not barred by fault: it is available regardless of misconduct because its purpose is to level the litigation playing field.

Alimony: Post-divorce support. Unlike spousal support and APL, alimony is not based on guidelines. The court determines alimony based on 17 factors set forth in 23 Pa.C.S. § 3701(b), including: the relative earning capacity of each party, the duration of the marriage, the ages and physical/mental conditions of the parties, the standard of living established during the marriage, contributions as homemaker, the time needed for education or training for appropriate employment, and marital misconduct during the marriage. Alimony is not guaranteed and is generally more difficult to obtain than spousal support or APL.

Bar to Alimony (§ 3706)

Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3706, a party who enters into cohabitation with a person of the opposite sex after the divorce is not entitled to alimony. Cohabitation is one of the most commonly litigated issues in post-divorce proceedings. Upon the death of the payee, the right to receive alimony ceases. Upon the death of the payor, the obligation to pay alimony ceases unless otherwise indicated in an agreement between the parties or a court order (§ 3707).

The Support Process in Bucks County

Support actions are filed with the Bucks County Domestic Relations Section (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.4). There is no filing fee for support complaints. The process begins with an office conference (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11) where both parties meet with a conference officer who reviews income documentation and calculates the guideline obligation. If the parties agree to the recommended order, it is entered that day.

If either party objects, the matter proceeds under whichever of two procedures the judicial district has adopted by local rule (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.10): a record hearing before a hearing officer who makes a recommended order subject to exceptions (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.12), or a hearing de novo before the court (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.11). In Bucks County, most contested support matters are heard by a hearing officer, with exceptions filed to the Court of Common Pleas.

Deviation from the Guidelines (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-5)

The guidelines create a rebuttable presumption that the calculated amount is correct. However, the court may deviate upward or downward based on factors including: unusual needs and extraordinary expenses of the children; other household income available to the parties; the child's age; assets and liabilities of the parties; medical expenses not covered by insurance; the standard of living of the parties and children; and the best interests of the child. If the court deviates, it must specify the guideline amount, the reason for the deviation, the factual findings supporting it, and the deviation amount.

Enforcement and Modification

Enforcement: Support orders are enforced through the Domestic Relations Section, which has the authority to order wage attachments, suspend driver's licenses and professional licenses, report arrearages to credit bureaus, and petition the court for contempt (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.20). Failure to appear at a support conference or hearing can result in a bench warrant (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.13-1).

Modification: Either party may petition to modify a support order upon a showing of a material and substantial change in circumstances (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.19). Common grounds include a significant change in either party's income, loss of employment, change in custody arrangement, emancipation of a child, or a change in the needs of the parties. The modified order is effective from the date the petition for modification is filed, unless the court specifies otherwise (Pa.R.C.P. 1910.17(a)). For more on when modification is appropriate, see Modifying Custody & Support Orders .

Statutory content on this page was last verified against Pennsylvania statutes (20 Pa.C.S.; 72 P.S. Art. XXI): Jul. 2026. If you are reading this significantly after that date, confirm key provisions with current statute text or contact our office.