Arizona is rewriting its child support guidelines — and parents can weigh in until Nov. 21

Every child support order in Arizona — whether it was negotiated at a kitchen table or decided after a hearing — starts from the same place: the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. Right now, those guidelines are being reviewed, and the court system is asking parents what they think.

The Arizona Supreme Court’s review subcommittee has posted draft revisions, and public comment is open from October 21 through November 21, 2026.

Why this is happening now

Federal law requires every state to review its child support guidelines at least once every four years. Arizona’s current guidelines took effect on January 1, 2022, under Administrative Order 2021-56, and were revised by later orders. This new review was set up by Administrative Order 2026-54.

As reported when the review launched in June, the subcommittee is looking at economic data, labor-market trends and how parenting time is treated in the formula. Drafts move through the Committee on Family Court and other committees before the Arizona Judicial Council gives final approval.

Commenting doesn’t require a lawyer, a case number or any special format. The review exists precisely to hear from the parents and caregivers the guidelines affect.

How Arizona calculates support today

Arizona uses an Income Shares model. The basic idea:

1. Combine both parents’ adjusted gross incomes.
2. Look up what intact households at that income typically spend on children.
3. Split that amount in proportion to each parent’s share of income.
4. Adjust for things like parenting time, health insurance and childcare costs.

That’s why two families with the same combined income can end up with very different orders: the split of income and the parenting-time schedule both move the number.

What a guidelines change means for an existing order

This is where many parents get tripped up. A new set of guidelines doesn’t automatically rewrite your order. Under A.R.S. § 25-327, a support order can be modified only on a showing of a substantial and continuing change of circumstances.

Two practical points follow from that statute:

• Act on changes promptly. Installments that came due before the other party received notice of your request generally can’t be reduced. Waiting costs money.
• The formula is only part of the picture. Job loss, a big raise, a change in parenting time, or a child’s new medical needs are the kinds of facts courts look at.

How to comment

The subcommittee’s page on azcourts.gov has the drafts and comment instructions. If you plan to comment, it helps to be specific:

• Which part of the draft you’re responding to.
• How it would play out in a household like yours — numbers help.
• What you’d change, and why.

The subcommittee’s next meeting is scheduled for December 1 at 10 a.m., held virtually; meeting details are posted on the same page.

When to talk to an attorney

If you’re considering a modification — or you’ve been served with one — a family-law attorney can run the current calculation, tell you whether your change is likely “substantial and continuing,” and make sure notice is filed so you don’t lose months of adjustment.

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