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North Carolina’s New Child Support Guidelines Take Effect January 1, 2027: What Changes for Parents

If your child support case is heard on or after January 1, 2027, the judge will use a new set of North Carolina guidelines. The hearing date controls, not the filing date. A motion filed this fall that was calendared for January will be decided under the new rules.

Who Changed the Guidelines and Why

G.S. 50-13.4 requires the Conference of Chief District Court Judges to review statewide guidelines at least every four years. The Conference adopted this revision on October 7, 2026, after a public hearing in Raleigh, written comments, and an outside review of the costs of raising children. The Judicial Branch announcement summarizes the changes.

A Rebuilt Support Schedule

The Schedule of Basic Support Obligations is a table that judges use to determine the starting amount. It has been rebuilt using new data on household spending for children, and therefore it affects nearly every case.

Don’t rely on a worksheet prepared under the 2023 guidelines for a 2027 hearing.

More Higher-Income Families Now Fall Under the Formula

The upper income limit for the schedule has risen substantially. Some families that used to be above the table are now getting a presumptive amount. Above the new ceiling, judges continue to set support on a case-by-case basis, considering the child’s reasonable needs, both parents’ earnings and assets, and the standard of living that the child is accustomed to.

New Protections for Parents With Low Incomes

The 2027 guidelines link the self-support allowance to the federal poverty level in 2026. The idea is that a parent with custody should have enough money to live on.

  • If a parent’s income is below a certain level, they usually receive a fixed minimum amount, unless the court decides otherwise. The amount is the same whether there is one child or six.
  • Above this level, the amount increases to protect the allowance.
  • When a parent’s income falls within a certain range and Worksheet A (primary custody) is used, child care and health insurance costs are not taken into account. Either parent can still request a change if they are responsible for those costs.

This rule does not apply to shared or split custody situations.

Bonuses, Commissions, and Other One-Time Income

The guidelines now provide judges with two clear options for irregular or one-time income:

  • Average or proportion the income over a set period.
  • Order the paying parent to pay the same percentage of the one-time income as they pay from regular income.

For parents with commissions, severance, or a business sale, this choice can make a significant difference.

Prospective, Retroactive, and Unpaid Support Are Now Defined Separately

The revision separates three terms that are often confused.

  • Provisional support runs from the filing date forward. Payments made under a temporary order do not count towards it.
  • Retroactive support covers the period before the filing. A judge may apply the guidelines from the start of this period or use a parent’s fair share of actual expenses. If there is a valid separation agreement that was not incorporated into a court order for this period, the court cannot order a different amount.
  • Back payments are missed payments under an existing order. Each payment becomes due when it is due and generally cannot be reduced later according to G.S. 50-13.10.

What Stays the Same

Shared custody still means at least 123 overnights a year with each parent, with each parent covering the child’s expenses during that time. Incarceration can’t still be treated as voluntary unemployment, and existing orders don’t change on their own on January 1st.

Should You Ask for a Modification?

Possibly. When an order is at least three years old, a difference of 15% or more between the current amount and a new guideline calculation is presumed to be a substantial change in circumstances. Because the entire schedule has changed, some older orders may cross that line even if neither parent’s income has moved. Newer orders usually require a different substantial change.

Silver metallic family figurines of two adults and two children on wooden surface with wooden judge gavel in background.

Prepare Before Your 2027 Court Date

Whether you pay for support or receive it, timing and documentation will determine your outcome under the new rules. If you have an appointment on the calendar, an outstanding motion, or a court order that may be outdated, contact the Law Office of Stephen E. Robertson, PLLC to find out how the 2027 regulations could affect your case and what you should do before your court hearing.