Minnesota Child Support

The right to child support and the responsibilities of parents to provide such support have been internationally recognized, though the laws governing child support vary from state to state. Child support includes the cost of housing and food, medical care, day care, clothing, transportation, other expenses such as recreation expenses.

MN Child Support Laws

In Minnesota, family courts use the income shares method to determine child support. The income shares method first calculates the amount of support that the child would get if their parents did not divorce. This calculated amount is then allocated to the parents according to their individual incomes and the percentage of overnights spent with each parent.

A parent’s legally required financial support to their child normally extends to the age of 18 but can be extended if the child has not graduated from high school, or even later if there is a special need for child support.

Minnesota Child Support Calculator

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has provided a child support calculator to help you estimate the right amount of child support. This calculator is for informational and educational use only and is not a substitute for the Minnesota child support guidelines. You can access the calculator by clicking on this link:

If this method of calculation confuses you, you’re not alone. The calculation is often complicated because of one parent’s under-employment or unemployment, the extraordinary needs of a child, income from self- employment, or medical and day care expenses. At Moore Family Law, we stay up-to-date on child support laws and will keep you informed of your rights as a custodial or non-custodial parent.

Child Support Enforcement in MN

Divorce can put a strain on your living standards, those of your divorced former spouse, and those of your children. Moore Family Law understands the hidden costs of raising a child that are not always addressed in the child support guidelines, while at the same time understanding the demands of earning a living and providing child support. To the individual paying child support, the cost usually seems enormous, and to the person raising the children on a day to day basis the amount they receive never seems to be enough.

The courts consider child support enforcement to be serious business with serious consequences for those who do not pay court-ordered support. Moore Family Law’s divorce lawyers and child support attorneys are well prepared to defend your rights vigorously and with an eye to a favorable outcome.