Most states have child support guidelines in their statutes—often in the statutes collected in the state’s family code. These child support guidelines provide percentages and methods of calculating child support payments based on the number of children; the parents’ incomes and financial resources; the income and needs of the custodial parent; the needs of the children, including any special needs; and the standard of living for the children before the parents’ divorce or separation. The child support guidelines are just guidelines, and the court generally has discretion to order more or less child support based on the best interest of the children.

In Kentucky, child support guidelines are established by state statutes to ensure that children receive adequate financial support from their parents following a divorce or separation. These guidelines are found in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) and are designed to calculate child support payments based on various factors, including the number of children, the combined income of the parents, and the financial needs and resources of each parent. The guidelines also consider the needs of the children, including any special needs, and aim to maintain the standard of living the children would have enjoyed if the family had remained intact. While these guidelines provide a framework for determining child support, Kentucky courts have the discretion to deviate from the guidelines if it is in the best interest of the child. This means that a court may order higher or lower payments than the guideline amount if circumstances warrant an adjustment to better serve the child's needs.