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 Oklahoma, child support is determined in accordance with the state's child support guidelines, which are codified in Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes. These guidelines take into account various factors such as the number of children, the combined income of both parents, and the financial needs and resources of each parent. Additionally, the guidelines consider the needs of the children, including any special needs, and aim to maintain the standard of living the children would have experienced had the family remained intact. The state uses a shared income model, which means that child support is calculated based on the proportion of each parent's income to the combined parental income. While these guidelines provide a framework for calculating child support, Oklahoma courts have the discretion to deviate from the guidelines if it is determined to be in the best interest of the children. Such deviations may result in higher or lower payments than the guideline amount, depending on the circumstances of the case.