Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — completely free. No account, no subscription, no hidden fees. Every calculator on this site is free to use, and we're actively building more.

No. LegalCalcUSA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We are an informational tool provider independently operated. Always consult a licensed attorney for your specific legal situation.

No. Your inputs are processed in your browser only. We do not collect, store, or transmit the personal or financial details you enter into our calculators.

It depends on the specific tool, but most of our calculators ask for a handful of general, non-identifying details — things like your state, gross or net income, hours worked, household size, or the date a relevant event took place. None of our calculators ask for your name, Social Security number, or other personally identifying information, since everything is processed in your browser and nothing is stored (see "Do you store my information?" above). Having a recent pay stub, court paperwork, or a rough timeline of dates on hand before you start will make the process faster and your estimate more useful.

Yes, and no. Every calculator on LegalCalcUSA is built to work on a phone, tablet, or desktop browser with no app to download and no software to install. You also don't need to create an account, sign up for anything, or provide an email address just to get a result — the tools are free and open to use the moment you land on the page. If we ever add optional features like saving past results, we'll make that clearly separate from the free calculators you can already use today.

Our calculators use general formulas and publicly available legal standards. They provide reasonable ballpark estimates but cannot account for every state-specific rule, judge's discretion, or individual circumstance. Always verify results with a licensed attorney.

No. Our results are estimates for personal planning purposes only. They have no legal standing and should not be presented as evidence or legal calculations in any proceeding. Courts use their own worksheets and formulas.

We're expanding coverage regularly. For unlisted states, select "Other" where available — we use national averages as a fallback. For your state's specific rules, contact your state's court website or consult a local attorney.

No. Our calculators are informational tools, not legal advice, and using one does not create an attorney-client relationship of any kind. A calculator can give you a general, ballpark estimate based on common formulas and publicly available standards, but it can't evaluate the specific facts of your situation, weigh a judge's discretion, or account for every state or local rule that might apply. Treat the result as a starting point for your own research and for a conversation with a licensed attorney — not as the final word on what you're owed, what you owe, or what a court will decide.

We use an approximation of the Income Shares model, which is used by most states. The actual formula your state uses may differ, and judges have significant discretion to deviate from guidelines based on healthcare, childcare, and other costs.

Probably not exactly. Court-ordered support is calculated using your state's official worksheet, taking into account additional factors like health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and extraordinary expenses. Use our estimate as a starting point for conversations with your attorney.

Our overtime calculator uses the federal FLSA standard (1.5× for hours over 40/week). Some states (California, Alaska) have additional rules like daily overtime. If you're in a state with stronger overtime laws, your actual entitlement may be higher.

You may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd, or consult an employment attorney. Many employment lawyers work on contingency for wage theft cases.

Please use our Contact page. Describe the tool, your inputs, and the result you received. We take accuracy seriously and will investigate promptly.

Absolutely — send us your idea. We prioritize new tools based on user demand.