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Reviewed for current 2026 law

Kentucky Child Support Arrears Calculator

Kentucky sets 12 percent interest, compounded annually, on judgments for unpaid child support. The family court decides whether to award it, and each missed payment becomes a judgment when it is due.

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arrears calculator

Arrears owed

The unpaid support amount itself, before any interest.

Accrual period
How do you want to enter the period?

Estimated arrears with interest: $5,600.00

Interest of $600.00 at 12% compound per year (KRS 360.040(2); Harney v. Harney (Ky. App. 2024)).

How this estimate was computed
Line itemAmount
Arrears principalKRS 360.040, interest on judgments (Kentucky General Assembly)$5,000.00
Interest at 12% per year, compounded annually, for 12 month(s) (KRS 360.040(2); Harney v. Harney (Ky. App. 2024))KRS 360.040(2) sets 12% interest, compounded annually, on a judgment for unpaid child support. Kentucky courts treat each delinquent payment as a judgment with interest generally running from its due date, and awarding interest is within the family court’s discretion (Harney v. Harney, Ky. App. 2024).KRS 360.040, interest on judgments (Kentucky General Assembly)$600.00
Arrears principal plus interestKRS 360.040, interest on judgments (Kentucky General Assembly)$5,600.00

Assumptions

  • Accrual period expressed as 12 month(s); partial months prorate.
  • Compounding applied annually at 12% per period. A partial compounding period prorates through a fractional exponent, which slightly understates the balance versus compounding each completed period and adding simple interest for the remainder; the tool never overstates.

Estimate only. The court or state agency calculation controls.

Kentucky arrears interest under KRS 360.040(2); Harney v. Harney (Ky. App. 2024); rules last reviewed 2026-09-25.

Kentucky support judgments use 12% annually

KRS 360.040(2) says a judgment for unpaid child support bears 12 percent interest, compounded annually, from the date the judgment is entered. The 6 percent rate for most other judgments does not replace this support rule. The 2017 amendments apply to judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017.

Kentucky courts treat each missed payment as a judgment once it is delinquent, with interest generally running from the payment’s due date until it is paid (Harney v. Harney, Ky. App. 2024, quoting Gibson v. Gibson, 2006).

Interest is not automatic. The Court of Appeals holds that awarding interest on a child support arrearage is within the family court’s discretion, and it may be denied when factors make requiring interest inequitable. Courts ask whether the paying parent provided services to the children and whether the parent tried to substantially comply with the order.

Past-due support vests when due, and a court cannot reduce it. Support can be modified only for installments that come due after a motion to modify is filed.

Annual rate
12%source
Compounding
Annualsource
Awarded
At the family court’s discretionsource
Accrual
Generally from each payment’s due datesource
Time limit
15 years, starting when current support ends for the last childsource
State program
Attorney General’s Department of Child Support Services since July 1, 2025source

Use the court’s order and the payment dates

The calculator applies 12 percent, compounded annually, to the balance and months you enter. Kentucky courts generally run interest from each missed payment’s due date, but the family court decides whether to award interest at all, so check the court’s order.

If payments were missed at different times, one balance and one month count will not match a payment-by-payment ledger.

What this estimate includes

  • Annual compound estimate
  • Discretion and due-date rules
  • Collection and enforcement rules

What it leaves out

  • The court’s interest decision
  • Payment-by-payment ledger
  • Official payoff

Kentucky arrears calculator FAQs

What interest rate applies to Kentucky child support arrears?

12 percent a year, compounded annually, on a judgment for unpaid child support under KRS 360.040(2). The family court decides whether to award it.

Is interest automatic?

No. The Court of Appeals holds that interest on a child support arrearage is within the family court’s discretion and may be denied when factors make it inequitable. In Harney (2024), the court upheld interest for the period of noncompliance and none after the parent substantially complied.

When does interest start?

The statute says from the date the judgment is entered. Kentucky courts treat each missed payment as a judgment once it is delinquent, so interest generally runs from each payment’s due date until it is paid.

Is it simple interest?

No. KRS 360.040 says compounded annually.

Is the ordinary judgment rate 6 percent?

Yes for most judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017, but subsection (2) separately sets 12 percent for unpaid child support.

Is there a time limit to collect?

Yes, 15 years, but the clock does not start until current support ends for the last child covered by the order. One action can cover all the arrears owed under the order (KRS 413.090).

Can arrears be reduced?

No. Past-due support vests when due, and a court cannot modify it. Support can be modified only for installments that come due after a motion to modify is filed, and arrears that built up while the child was a minor survive the child’s emancipation.

What happens if I fall behind?

The Attorney General’s office can place a lien on property that lasts until the support, interest, and fees are paid, and it can intercept federal and state tax refunds. Arrears of $2,500 or more are certified for passport denial, and licenses can be denied or suspended once arrears equal six months of support.

Is nonpayment a crime in Kentucky?

It can be. Flagrant nonsupport is a Class D felony, and it can apply when arrears reach $2,500 or when six months in a row pass without payment (KRS 530.050).

Who runs child support in Kentucky now?

Since July 1, 2025, the Department of Child Support Services in the Office of the Attorney General runs the state program. A license suspension ends once the arrears are paid off or payments are being made under a court or administrative order.

Official sources

Official sources last verified: .

Changelog: page reviewed . Material changes appear in the update log.