In 2026, an update to Washington state’s child support law will change how child support orders are calculated for divorcing couples, for individuals seeking new child support orders, and for those seeking child support modifications.
In this article, we’ll explore how this law might impact you if you’re getting divorced or seeking new child support orders in 2026, and how this law might impact individuals seeking modifications to their child support orders. Given the changes, some parents with existing child support orders might wonder whether they should seek child support modifications in 2026, given the changes to Washington state law.
Let’s delve into how Engrossed House Bill 1014 might impact you and your family.
- How Will Washington State Child Support Law Change in 2026?
- Greater Clarity for Higher Income Families Regarding Their Monthly Support Obligation
- More Self Support Reserve for Low Income Households
- New Deductions Permitted from Gross Income to Calculate Child Support Owed
- Relief for Parents Seeking Court-Ordered Behavioral and Substance Abuse Treatment
- How Will Engrossed House Bill 1014 Impact How My Child Support is Calculated?
- Should I Seek a Modification to my Child Support Order in 2026?
- Next Steps
How Will Washington State Child Support Law Change in 2026?
Engrossed House Bill 1014 expands the child support table to include higher income families. Under RCW 26.19.020, the current child support table only offers guidelines for families making a combined monthly income of up to $12,000. Under the new law, the upper limit of the table will include guidelines for families making a combined monthly income up to $50,000. For higher income families, the new guidelines offer greater clarity about monthly support owed.
The new law also protects lower income families, by increasing the self-support reserve for a parent making child support payments to 180% of the federal poverty guideline, for a one-person household. This means that child support payments cannot reduce a person’s income below 180% of the federal poverty guideline. Individuals in these circumstances will only be required to pay the minimum of $50 in child support per child a month, provided there aren’t other circumstances (like high assets or wealth) that would warrant higher support amounts.
The law also includes other provisions, including expanding the deductions permitted when calculating gross income to determine child support payments. And it also offers provisions to reduce child support payments to the minimum of $50 a month when a parent is enrolled in court-ordered behavioral health treatment.
Let’s delve into more detail about what each of these provisions might mean for you.
Greater Clarity for Higher Income Families Regarding Their Monthly Support Obligation
Washington state’s previous child support table only included child support guidelines for families whose combined monthly income was $12,000. Under the new table, child support guidelines remain the same for families whose combined monthly income is under $12,000. Yet, if your combined monthly income is above $12,000, the child support table will be expanded to include guidelines for families making up to $50,000 in combined monthly income.
Currently, families with combined monthly incomes above $12,000 would have to negotiate child support amounts with their lawyers or present the facts of their case to a judge to decide. The increased clarity of the new law will make child support determinations less contentious for higher income families, reducing conflict in divorce.
What does this mean for higher income families?
If you’re thinking about getting divorced in 2026 or will be seeking an order for child support in 2026, the new guidelines offer greater clarity about recommended child support amounts for families making combined monthly incomes up to $50,000.
Under the old child support table, higher income families often had to negotiate or extrapolate child support amounts with the assistance of their attorneys, leaving greater room for negotiations in child support payments for higher earning families.
Under the new child support table, higher earning families have greater clarity, meaning there’s one less thing to fight about in a divorce, and more reason for higher income families to choose collaborative divorce or more amicable divorce methods.
Families with existing child support orders might be wondering whether they should seek a modification under the new guidelines.
Because the older table allowed for greater flexibility for higher earning families, families with existing child support orders might want to check out the new child support economic table that will become effective on January 1, 2026. (The new table can be found on page 6 of the document).
If you believe you are paying more child support than you would under the new child support economic table, or if you are receiving less child support than you would under the new child support economic table, you might want to speak to the family lawyers at Truce Law to explore your options, including the benefits and risks of seeking a child support modification.
Modifications are only permitted in certain cases. One of the permitted reasons to seek a modification is when an existing child support order causes the children real financial hardship. If the child support you receive under an older order is much lower than the new child support tables suggest, you might be able to seek a modification showing that the current child support order causes your children hardship through significant underpayment of support.
Greater Self Support Reserve for Low Income Households
In 2026, the self-support reserve for low-income households will increase from 125% of the federal poverty level for a one-person household, to 180% of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty tables can change from year-to-year, but the 2025 federal poverty guidelines can be found here.
For a one-person household, 180% of the federal poverty guideline is $2347.50 per month, or $28,170 per year. If paying child support would put your monthly reserve below $2347.50 per month (the actual figure in 2026 may be different if the poverty tables change), then you might only be required to pay $50 per child per month for child support.
There are some important exceptions to this rule, however. If a judge believes you can earn more than the federal poverty guideline and are intentionally earning less to avoid paying child support, you might be ordered to seek work in alignment with your earning capacity.
Some households may not make much in income each month but have significant assets. If the court finds that an individual’s assets would allow them to pay more in child support, the court may order more payments each month, even if monthly earnings are below the federal poverty guidelines.
What does this mean for lower-income households?
If you are a lower-income household paying child support, the changes to these guidelines could potentially reduce the child support payments you’ll owe. It also means that parents receiving child support might receive less, if the parent paying child support meets federal poverty guidelines. If you’re getting divorced in 2026 or will be seeking a new child support order in 2026, you might want to consider these new poverty guidelines when estimating how much child support you’ll owe, and how much you’ll receive.
Low-income families with existing child support orders might want to check their income against the federal poverty guidelines. If paying child support puts your remaining income under 180% of the federal poverty guidelines, and if you are paying more than $50 per child in child support, you might want to speak to the family lawyers at Truce Law about whether a modification in child support is right for you.
We can review your situation and help you understand your options. There are only a few permitted reasons for modifying a child support order. One of the permitted reasons includes financial hardship. If your current child support order causes you financial hardship or puts your financial reserve below 180% of the federal poverty guidelines, you may be able to petition the court for a modification of child support.
New Deductions Permitted from Gross Income to Calculate Child Support Owed
When calculating net monthly income to determine child support, families have historically been able to deduct certain expenses from their gross monthly income disclosed.
These expenses have included federal and state income taxes, federal insurance contributions, mandatory pension plan payments, union or professional dues, state industrial insurance premiums, spousal support, up to $5000 in voluntary retirement contributions (as long as the individual has historically made these voluntary contributions and isn’t now making them to reduce child support obligations), and normal business deductions and self-employed taxes for individuals who are self-employed.
In 2026, households can also deduct mandatory insurance premiums, including premiums paid to the paid family medical leave program, and state insurance premiums.
What does this mean for you?
If you are getting divorced in 2026 or will be seeking a new child support order in 2026, this means that your lawyer might be able to take additional deductions to reduce your combined gross monthly income, which might potentially slightly reduce how much you’ll owe in child support. (Remember your combined net monthly income is entered into the child support table to determine how much you’ll either need to pay in child support, or how much you’ll owe).
If you already have a child support order, in 2026, you might be able to take additional deductions when calculating your net combined monthly income, which could potentially slightly reduce how much you would have to pay in child support.
In most situations, this slight reduction might not be sufficient grounds to seek a modification of child support, but if the deductions put you under 180% of the federal poverty guideline, and if you believe that your child support payments are currently causing you financial hardship, you might want to speak to a family lawyer about whether a child support modification is right for you.
For most families with existing child support orders, the additional deductions might not result in significant enough changes to seek a modification of child support. But individuals with lower incomes might want to speak to their family lawyer, especially if the deductions put them under federal poverty guidelines. And if you’re not sure, it can’t hurt to have a conversation with your lawyer about how the new 2026 deductions might impact child support.
For other cases, parents must show that there has been a significant change in circumstances to seek a child support modification. Your family lawyer can review your situation to see whether deductions would result in a significant change.
Relief for Parents Seeking Court-Ordered Behavioral and Substance Abuse Treatment
If you are enrolled in court-ordered behavioral health treatment, your child support amount could be reduced to $50 per child per month if you are facing hardship while undergoing treatment. This relief is temporary and only lasts if you are enrolled in court-ordered treatment.
What does this mean for you?
If you will be filing for divorce in 2026 or will seek a child support order in 2026 and are enrolled in court-ordered behavioral health treatment, you might be able to request a temporary reduction in child support while you undergo treatment. Your lawyer can help you understand how your payments might increase (or what your payments might be) once you leave court-ordered treatment.
And if you have an existing child support order and are enrolled in court-ordered behavioral health treatment, in 2026, you might be able to request temporary relief from child support while you finish treatment. Under the current relief plan, you would still be required to pay at least $50 per month per child.
How Will Engrossed House Bill 1014 Impact How My Child Support is Calculated?
Engrossed House Bill 1014 will mostly impact higher income families and lower-income families. Families who don’t meet federal poverty guidelines whose monthly combined income is under $12,000, probably won’t see many changes to the child support paid or owed because the guidelines and tables for child support will remain the same.
The tables have only been expanded to include higher earning families. Yet, higher income families might see greater clarity in how much child support is owed for their situation, potentially reducing conflict during divorce. Higher income families with existing child support orders might want to compare how their existing orders align or differ from the new state guidelines and speak to their family lawyers if there’s a big disparity.
And lower-income families (that is, families that meet 180% of the federal poverty guideline), might be able to seek relief in how much child support is owed. More families might be able to qualify for reduced payments of $50 per child per month. If you are a lower-income household and believe your child support payments are causing you financial hardship, you might want to speak to your family lawyer about whether you can seek a modification in 2026.
Finally, families facing behavioral health challenges might also be able to seek temporary relief and reduction in child support payments while they seek court-ordered behavioral health treatment.
Should I Seek a Modification to my Child Support Order in 2026?
Most families won’t need to seek a modification to their child support order in 2026. Families who earn incomes above 180% of the federal poverty guidelines, whose monthly combined income is less than $12,000 might not see a great change to their child support payments.
Yet, higher income families (that is, families whose combined monthly income exceeds $12,000 per month) might want to speak to their family lawyers about how Engrossed House Bill 1014 might change their monthly child support obligations. Individuals can seek modifications to child support if the current order causes either the parent or the children financial hardship. If you believe that your partner is significantly under-paying child support given the guidelines provided in the new table, you might want to speak to your family lawyer.
And lower-income families whose monthly income is under 180% of the federal poverty guidelines (or whose child support payments put their monthly income under 180% of the federal poverty guidelines) might want to speak to their family lawyer about whether the new reserve limits might reduce the amount of child support owed each month. If your child support order has caused you financial hardship, and you meet the new federal poverty income guidelines, you might be able to seek a modification of child support.
Finally, families facing temporary hardships due to behavioral health issues, who are enrolled in court-ordered behavioral health treatment might want to explore how they can seek temporary relief in their child support payments. Your family lawyer can help you file required paperwork to seek this temporary relief. Or you can reach out to the Washington state Division of Child Support.
If you believe state-mandated deductions might significantly reduce your gross income, you might also want to speak to a family lawyer, though in most situations, these deductions might not significantly change child support owed.
Next Steps
If you have questions about how changes to Washington’s child support laws in 2026 might change child support for you and your children, reach out to the family lawyers at Truce Law today.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is unique. For guidance specific to your circumstances, consult a licensed family law attorney in your area.