Texas courts can order retroactive child support — support covering time before a case was filed — but it isn’t automatic or unlimited.
When deciding whether to order it, and how much, a court considers the paying parent’s income during that period, whether they knew about their likely paternity, whether they already provided some support, and whether the order would create real financial hardship. Texas law presumes that limiting retroactive support to no more than four years’ worth is reasonable and in the child’s best interest — though that presumption can be challenged if the paying parent knew about the child and deliberately avoided establishing support.
Retroactive support isn’t mandatory, and there’s no requirement that a non-custodial parent repay welfare benefits the other parent previously received.