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Child Care Calculator

This calculator estimates what you would pay for child care if Congress passed legislation ensuring that no family ever pays more than 7% of its household income for quality child care 

Annual family income includes the amount of money, before taxes and deductions, you and a spouse who lives with you make from work, plus any additional income you report on your taxes. If you are self-employed, use net income. You can also enter your gross income from the past tax year.
Family size includes the tax filer for the family and spouse if legally married along with dependent children claimed on your income taxes.
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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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Let Congress know you support this approach!

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This calculator is designed to assist policymakers, child care providers, families, and the general public in estimating family cost under a system proposed in 2021 for adoption in Congress. These estimates do not reflect official government policy and do not guarantee any benefit. 

 

Here’s what this is all about

The federal government has determined that families can afford to pay up to 7% of their household income for child care. Paying more than that is unaffordable. 

In America, the median family with an infant currently pays 22% of their income for child care. Families that earn less or have multiple children under age five pay even more.  

Some members of Congress have proposed legislation ensuring that no American family would ever have to pay more than 7% of their yearly income for child care – no matter how many young kids they have in care – and many families would pay less than 7%. Under this approach, families would receive federal funding to ensure they’re not paying more than the 7% federal child care affordability standard.