Editorial Standards

How Content Is Created and Reviewed

TheLegalCalc content is drafted by our editorial team and reviewed for clarity, legal accuracy, and jurisdictional relevance before publication.

Our calculators cite primary legal sources including federal statutes and state codes.

Primary Sources We Use

• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
• State Bar Associations
• U.S. Code and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
• Official state statutes and state legislature publications

How We Rank Sources

Every claim on TheLegalCalc traces to a specific source. We follow a strict hierarchy:

Primary sources — the actual statute or court rule. When we say California child support uses net income, we cite Cal. Fam. Code section 4055, not a blog post that summarizes it. If the primary source is not available or is ambiguous, we say so.

Secondary sources — official agency guidance. The U.S. Department of Labor, state child support agencies, and court-published worksheets are acceptable secondary sources when they accurately reflect current law.

We do not use other websites, legal blogs, or AI-generated summaries as primary sources. If we cannot trace a formula to its statute, we do not publish it.

Estimates vs. Court Calculations

The word "estimate" appears on every calculator page for a specific reason: our tools use simplified models of state guidelines. Real child support calculations in court involve certified software (DissoMaster in California, Friend of the Court worksheets in Michigan), judicial discretion, and financial disclosures we cannot replicate.

Our estimates are useful for:

• Understanding the range before consulting an attorney
• Preparing for an initial conversation with a lawyer
• Comparing scenarios (different incomes, custody splits)

Our estimates are not useful for:

• Negotiating a final agreement without legal counsel
• Predicting what a specific judge will order
• Situations with complex income (business ownership, stock options, multiple jobs)

When you see a number from TheLegalCalc, treat it as a starting point — not a destination.

Update Cycle

Calculators and articles are reviewed when state law changes and at least annually. Confirmed errors are corrected within 2 business days of being reported.

Correction Policy

If you spot a potential error, email contact@thelegalcalc.com with the page URL and a brief description. Calculators and articles are reviewed when state law changes and at least annually. Confirmed errors are corrected within 2 business days of being reported.

How We Handle Errors

We make mistakes. State laws change. Formulas get updated. When errors are found:

• We investigate within 2 business days of a report
• We correct confirmed errors within 2 business days of confirmation
• We update the "Last reviewed" date on the affected page
• For significant errors (wrong formula, outdated statute), we add a visible correction note

To report an error: contact@thelegalcalc.com. Include the page URL, the state, and the specific issue. A link to the primary source helps us confirm and fix it faster.

We take accuracy seriously because our users are making real decisions about money and family — not trivia.

Our Limits

TheLegalCalc is not a law firm. We do not:

• Provide legal advice or attorney-client relationships
• Guarantee that any calculation is court-admissible
• Represent that our formulas exactly replicate any state's official calculation software
• Accept payment to feature or recommend any attorney, service, or product

Our revenue comes from advertising. Our editorial decisions are made independently of advertisers. We do not allow advertising relationships to influence our calculator formulas, source citations, or editorial conclusions.

If you need legal advice, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Many state bar associations offer lawyer referral services at low or no cost.

Important Legal Disclaimer

TheLegalCalc is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Our content is informational and educational only and does not create an attorney-client relationship.