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 Nevada, 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 Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) under Chapter 125B. The calculation of child support payments in Nevada considers various factors such as the number of children, the gross monthly incomes of both parents, and the custody arrangement. The state provides a formula for determining the base amount of child support, which is a percentage of the non-custodial parent's gross monthly income, with the percentage increasing with the number of children. Additionally, the court may consider the needs of the children, including any special needs, the standard of living the children would have enjoyed had the family remained intact, and the financial condition of each parent. While the guidelines serve as a standard framework for calculating child support, Nevada courts have the discretion to deviate from these guidelines when it is deemed to be in the best interest of the child or children involved.