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Minnesota Child Support Guidelines Calculator

The Minnesota Child Support Division bases this Child Support Guidelines Calculator on the Minnesota child support guidelines statute in effect PRIOR to Jan. 1, 2023. The calculator is intended to be used to estimate the amount of child support that the court may order on a case. This calculator is for informational and educational use only and is not a substitute for the child support guidelines.


The statute includes a parenting expense adjustment based on the number of court-ordered overnights. If your existing order includes a parenting schedule but does not state the percentage of parenting time or the number of court-ordered overnights, go to the Minnesota Child Support Parenting Time Calendar Tool to calculate the number of court-ordered overnights to enter on line 15b. You may also use this calculator for court orders requiring the parenting expense adjustment effective through July 31, 2018 by following the instructions posted below, before question 15. Please visit the Parenting Expense Adjustment website for more information.


The court has the final authority to determine the amount of a child support order. The calculator provides an estimate only and is not a guarantee of the amount of child support the court will order. The calculator is only able to calculate a basic support amount for six or fewer joint children. If there are more than six joint children, the court may determine a support order without specifically following the guidelines.


If you have any questions about the child support guidelines you should contact your child support agency or an attorney.


1. What is Parent A's name?
2. What is Parent B's name?
3. What is the IV-D case number?
4. What is the court file number?
5. How many joint children are there?

  Parent A     Parent B  
6. What is the monthly income received?   $ $
7. What is the potential income for each parent, if any?   $ $
8. What is the monthly amount the joint child(ren) receive in benefits from Social Security or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) due to a parent's eligibility?   $ $
9. If the joint child(ren) receive Social Security or VA benefits, which parent is the representative payee?    
10. What is the monthly amount each parent is ordered to pay for spousal maintenance?   $ $
11. What is the total amount each parent is ordered to pay for monthly child support for nonjoint child(ren)?   $ $
12. What is the number of nonjoint child(ren) living in the home?      
13. What is the monthly cost of health care coverage for the joint child(ren)?   $ $
14. What is the monthly cost of dental coverage for the joint child(ren) if separate from health care coverage?   $ $

*** To calculate child support using a parenting expense adjustment effective through July 31, 2018, answer "no" to question 15a, leave question 15b blank, and answer "yes" to question 15c. If there is no order for parenting time or it is less than 10 percent, use 0 overnights for Parent A and 365 overnights for Parent B (per joint child) for question 15b and answer "no" for question 15c.


15a. Do you have court ordered equal parenting time?    
15b. What is the annual number of overnights awarded to each parent by the court?   Click to add a child
Go to the Minnesota Child Support Parenting Time Calendar Tool to calculate the number of court-ordered overnights.
 
15c. If you are unable to calculate the number of overnights awarded to each parent, do you have a current child support order with a parenting expense adjustment?    

16. Number of joint child(ren) receiving child care?    
17. How much are the total monthly child care costs?   $
18. Which parent incurs the child care costs?    
19. Does either parent receive child care assistance for the joint children?    
20. Does Parent B receive Medical Assistance for the joint child(ren)?    
21. Does Parent A receive Medical Assistance?  

Important Disclaimer: The child support guidelines worksheet, instructions, and calculator are for information and educational use only and are not a guarantee of the amount of child support that will be ordered. The results obtained are only as accurate as the information used. The actual child support order may be affected by other factors. The Court has the final authority to determine the amount of the child support order. If this worksheet is attached to a court order, it is part of the Court’s decision. This worksheet may or may not show the amount the Court decided to order. If the amount in the order is different, that is the amount to be paid.