Texas child support guidelines are largely based on a single factor: the paying parent’s income. In practice, judges rarely deviate from the standard guideline amount, even when a parent has significant time with the child, or when the guideline doesn’t reflect the family’s real circumstances.
Factors that are technically allowed to be considered, but are inconsistently applied in practice, include how much time each parent actually has with the child, the receiving parent’s financial circumstances, and other support the paying parent already provides (day care, medical costs, and similar expenses).
Texas Family Code §154.123 does list reasons a judge can deviate from the guideline amount, but courts use that discretion less often than advocates would like. If your case involves significant shared parenting time or unusual financial circumstances, talk to your attorney early about whether a deviation argument applies to you.