Disclaimer

Not legal advice

Nothing on this site — not the calculators, not the articles, not the methodology pages, not any email from this domain — constitutes legal advice. Byron Malone, the operator-author of this site, is not a licensed attorney. The tools are designed to help you understand the math behind legal cost estimates so you can be a better-informed participant in legal proceedings and a more prepared buyer of professional legal advice. They are not a substitute for consulting a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction.

No attorney-client relationship

Using this site, reading our content, or emailing yourself a calculation result does not create an attorney-client, advisor-client, or fiduciary relationship between you and Bedrocka Tools LLC or any of its contributors. We are not your attorney until and unless you have signed a retainer agreement with a licensed attorney — which cannot happen through this website.

Calculator outputs are estimates

Every calculator on this site produces an estimate based on the inputs you provide and the formulas we have coded. Real-world outcomes may differ because of factors we do not capture: judicial discretion within guideline ranges, deviation factors specific to your county or judge, state rule changes that post-date our last review, income definitions that vary by jurisdiction, and facts about your specific case that are not reflected in the inputs. Use calculator results to understand the math behind your situation and to structure conversations with a licensed attorney — not to make final decisions by themselves.

Legal-category caveats

• Child support estimatesare based on published state guidelines (Income Shares, Percentage of Obligor Income, or Melson formula per state). Actual court orders may deviate from guideline amounts based on extraordinary expenses, custody arrangements, imputed income determinations, or other jurisdiction-specific factors. Guidelines change by legislative session. Verify current guideline tables with your state's OCSS office or a licensed family law attorney before relying on any estimate.
• Lost wages and present-value calculations use BLS Work-Life Tables for life-expectancy and work-life expectancy inputs. Actual expert testimony in personal injury litigation may use different discount rates, growth assumptions, or jurisdiction-specific adjustments. The estimates produced by this calculator are illustrative, not authoritative for litigation purposes. A licensed forensic economist or vocational rehabilitation expert is required for evidentiary use.
• Contingency fee estimatesapply the general range (typically 33⅓% pre-trial; 40% at trial or appeal) as a default. Actual fee agreements are governed by ABA Model Rule 1.5 and state-specific caps — including Florida Bar Rule 4-1.5(f)(4)(B) for personal injury and Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §6146 for medical malpractice — and must be in a written, signed fee agreement. Fee percentage, gross-vs-net basis, and cost-recovery terms vary significantly. Never estimate your net recovery without reviewing your actual signed fee agreement with your attorney.
• Settlement tax treatment under IRC §104 is fact-specific. The physical injury / physical sickness exclusion applies only to the extent the damages are on account of physical injury or physical sickness. Emotional distress damages without a physical manifestation are generally taxable. Punitive damages are taxable even in physical injury cases (IRC §104(c)). Pre-settlement interest is taxable. Your actual tax consequences require analysis by a CPA or tax attorney with knowledge of the specific settlement terms.
• Alimony and support cross-effects— for agreements executed after December 31, 2018, alimony is not deductible by the payor and not includable in the recipient's income (post-TCJA treatment; IRC §71 and §215 as amended). For agreements executed before 2019 that have not been modified to adopt the new rules, the prior treatment may apply. This distinction materially affects gross-income calculations in child-support guideline math. Consult a licensed family law attorney and tax professional when both alimony and child support are at issue.
• Jurisdiction varianceis significant across all categories. State family law statutes, local court rules, and individual judicial discretion mean that a guideline estimate and an actual court order can diverge substantially. Nothing on this site addresses your specific state's rules for all edge cases.

Not affiliated with regulatory or government entities

Bedrocka Tools and Legal DIY & Cost Estimator are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any state court system, state bar association, HHS Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American Bar Association, or any other regulatory, government, or professional body. Where we cite their publications and guidance, it is as a primary source of public information, nothing more.

Use at your own risk

You assume full responsibility for any decision you make based on information from this site. We disclaim liability for outcomes that depend on factors outside our control — which, for legal proceedings, includes judicial discretion, opposing counsel, evidence, and the specific facts of your case.

Contact for corrections

If you find an error in a calculator or in our cited sources, email info@bedrockatools.com. See methodology for our correction policy.