Simple Child Support Calculator
To calculate child support in Minnesota, we recommend using the Minnesota Child Support Guidelines calculator. There appears to be no simpler way to estimate support payments.
The Minnesota Child Support Guidelines calculator steps you through a complex calculation. You may need to work through each part carefully to get an accurate assessment. Unfortunately, the Minnesota scheme is complex and a simple, reliable calculator does not appear to be available.
Overnights Calculator for Minnesota
According to Minnesota child support guidelines, payment amounts depend on how many overnight stays a child has with each parent annually.
Use this overnights calculator to work out how many nights of care you provide.
Calculate annual overnight stays
Regular nights
Vacation nights each year*
183 overnight stays per year.
50.0% of parenting time.
* Vacation nights are all nights when the regular schedule does not apply.
How Child Support is Calculated in Minnesota
Child support payments in Minnesota are calculated using the income shares method. Payments depend on the combined incomes of the parents as well as the number of children. A larger combined income or more children usually means greater payments.
The amount paid or received by an individual parent also depends on income and parenting time percentages.
- If your income percentage (your share of combined income) is higher than your care percentage (share of parenting time), you are probably the payer.
- The receiver is normally the parent with a care percentage above their income percentage.
Minnesotans paying the most child support have high incomes and rarely look after their children. On the flipside, the biggest receivers are parents who (a) work little (b) have their kids nearly all the time and (c) have a high earner as the other parent.
The amount of child support ordered by a judge depends largely on the Minnesota child support guidelines. Minnesota’s guidelines are based on the parents’ incomes and the number of children who require support. However, there is flexibility to account for the child’s reasonable needs, the paying parent’s ability to provide support, the particular custody arrangements and the child’s best interests.
Minnesota law uses a method of calculating child support called "Income Shares." The law has Child Support Guidelines that use both parents’ gross income, the number of children, and the cost of raising a child at various income levels. See Minn. Stat. § 518A.34.
Minnesota Judicial Law
Minnesotan child support guidelines apply to the whole state, including the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Bloomington and Duluth. Variations in support payments may be made by the agreement of parents or at the discretion of a judge presiding over your case.
Payment Calculators by State