Baby budget calculator · 2026 figures

What will your baby cost in year one?

Giving birth costs insured families about $2,743 out of pocket on average. Infant daycare runs from $7,696 a year in Mississippi to $26,343 in Massachusetts. Twelve states and DC pay bonding leave in 2026. The 2026 Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per child. Enter your state and pay below for your own number.

By This Mom · Last verified October 5, 2026 · Sources linked on this page · Data free to reuse (CC BY 4.0)

$2,743average out-of-pocket for birth

$13,184national average child care price, per year

12 + DCstates paying bonding leave in 2026

$2,200Child Tax Credit per child, 2026

Your details

State you live and work in

Birth parent’s yearly pay ($)

Weeks off after birth

Weeks your employer pays in fullCheck your handbook; many pay 0.

Type of birth

Your plan’s out-of-pocket for the birth ($, optional)

Child care after leave

Household income ($)Adjusted gross income, for tax credits.

Tax filing status

Baby will be a U.S. citizen born 2025-2028

Year one, estimated

Birth, out of pocket: —
Lost pay during leave: —
State leave pay (already counted): —
Child care, rest of year one: —
Child Tax Credit: —
Child care credit: —

Net cost of year one

—

Plus: —

Pick your state to see your numbers.

Paid leave details · Child care prices · How this is calculated

More money help for new parents

Baby Money Report 2027How much of a typical income infant care takes in every state, ranked Paid leave by stateWhich 12 states and DC pay you to bond with your baby Child care costsInfant daycare prices in every state Cost of giving birthWhat families pay, vaginal vs. C-section Newborn paperwork checklistEvery deadline after birth, dated for you WIC income limits2026-27 limits and a quick eligibility check Postpartum Medicaid12 months of coverage in 49 states and DC 2026 baby tax benefitsChild Tax Credit, care credit, FSA, Trump Accounts Paid maternity leave by stateHow many paid weeks a birth parent gets FSA vs. child care creditWhich saves your family more in 2026

How the calculator works

It adds three costs for the first 52 weeks: what you pay for the birth, the pay you lose on leave after any state benefit, and child care for the weeks after your leave ends. Then it subtracts the 2026 Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Every number comes from an official or published source, linked on the pages below. It is an estimate, not tax, legal or medical advice.

Paid family leave by state, 2026 – weeks, weekly maximums and job protection for all 50 states and DC
Child care costs by state – infant and toddler prices, center vs. home-based
Cost of giving birth – what insurers and parents pay, vaginal vs. C-section
Baby tax benefits for 2026 – Child Tax Credit, dependent care FSA, care credit, Trump Accounts

Last verified October 5, 2026 against official sources: Peterson-KFF, Child Care Aware of America, IRS, each state leave program.