Minnesota Child Support Calculator
Minnesota's child support guidelines in Minn. Stat. chapter 518A are an income-shares model built on each parent's gross income. The current basic support table took effect on January 2023. This calculator follows the statute's order: basic support from the table, the parenting expense adjustment for court-ordered overnights, child care and medical support, then the self-support reserve and minimum order.
Gross income from all sources, before taxes
Gross income from all sources, before taxes
Court-ordered overnights out of 365; enter 0 if there is no parenting time order
Work or school related, less the estimated federal and state child care credits
Work or school related, less the estimated federal and state child care credits
The premium cost of covering the joint children
The premium cost of covering the joint children
Estimated monthly child support
Parent A (pays support)
Annual amount
Who pays
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Combined monthly PICS | $8,000.00 |
| Parent A share of combined PICS 63% (rounded to a whole percent) | $0.63 |
| Combined basic support (§ 518A.35 table) | $1,106.00 |
| Parent A pro rata basic support | $697.00 |
| Parent B pro rata basic support | $409.00 |
| Basic support after the parenting expense adjustment (Parent A) 73 / 292 overnights, each raised to the power of 3 | $680.00 |
| Monthly child support Parent A pays | $680.00 |
This is a guideline estimate under Minn. Stat. §§ 518A.34-518A.42 for informational purposes only — it is not legal advice and not a substitute for the official worksheet or a family-law attorney. Courts can deviate from guideline amounts based on statutory factors, and inputs like income determination or imputed income are ultimately decided by the court.
Minnesota child support at a glance
| Model | Income shares (monthly gross income, PICS) |
| Table range | Up to $1,399, then $100 bands to $20,000 combined monthly PICS |
| Parenting expense adjustment | Annual overnights raised to the power of 3 |
| Self-support reserve | $1,596 a month (120% of the poverty guideline) |
| Minimum basic support | $50–$100 a month |
| Table effective | January 2023 |
PICS and the basic support table
Minnesota starts from gross income from almost any source. Each parent's parental income for determining child support (PICS) is gross income less a deduction for nonjoint children, which this calculator leaves out. Combined PICS is matched to the basic support table for one to 6 children: every income up to $1,399 shares one row, then each $100 band has its own amount. Incomes above $20,000 a month ($240,000 a year) use the top row unless the court finds a child needs more. Each parent's share is their percentage of combined PICS, which the state's calculator rounds to a whole percent.
The parenting expense adjustment
Every order states each parent's share of court-ordered parenting time, usually as annual overnights. Section 518A.36 raises each parent's overnights to the power of 3, multiplies each result by the other parent's share of basic support, and divides the difference by the sum of the two cubes. The sign of the result names the paying parent, so a higher earner with most of the overnights can still receive support. With equal time and equal PICS, no basic support is paid. Without a parenting time order, enter 0 overnights for the parent who does not have the children.
Child care, medical support and ability to pay
Work or school related child care is split by income share after the estimated federal and state child care credits, which the state's calculator works out from its own tables; enter the cost after credits here. The premium for the children's health and dental coverage is split the same way: the paying parent adds their share of a premium the other parent pays, or subtracts the other parent's share of a premium they pay. The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of 120% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, $1,596 a month. If the order is above what is left, medical support is reduced first, then child care, then basic support. When nothing is left, or gross income is under the reserve, the minimum basic support of $50 to $100 applies.
Frequently asked questions
Does Minnesota use gross or net income for child support?
Gross income. Minnesota's PICS is gross income from almost any source, less court-ordered support for other children and a deduction for nonjoint children living with the parent. Taxes, retirement contributions and health insurance premiums are not subtracted. Means-tested public assistance is excluded from income.
How do overnights change child support in Minnesota?
Through the parenting expense adjustment in § 518A.36. Each parent's annual overnights are raised to the power of 3, so support falls slowly at low parenting time and faster as time approaches equal. The statute counts overnights or overnight equivalents ordered by the court, averaged over two years. Time without a court order does not count.
What is the minimum child support in Minnesota?
The minimum basic support is $50, $60, $70, $80, $90, $100 a month for one to six or more children. It applies when the paying parent's income available for support (PICS minus the $1,596 reserve) is at or below that amount, or when gross income is under 120% of the poverty guideline. A parent on the minimum is presumed unable to pay child care and medical support. If the parenting expense adjustment already gives a lower amount, the lower amount stands.
What if combined income is above $20,000 a month?
Basic support stays at the amount for $20,000 of combined PICS ($240,000 a year). A court may order more if a child has a disability or another substantial, demonstrated need and the extra support will directly benefit the child.
Are child care and health insurance included?
Yes, as separate parts of the order. Child care support is the paying parent's share of the other parent's work or school related child care cost after the estimated child care credits. Medical support divides the premium for the joint children's coverage by income share. Unreimbursed and uninsured medical costs are split by the same percentages but are not part of the monthly amount.
What does this calculator leave out?
The deduction for nonjoint children and other support or maintenance orders, potential (imputed) income, Social Security or veterans' benefits paid for the child, the child care assistance co-payment limit for low-income parents, contributions toward public health coverage, the minimum-order exceptions for incarceration and public assistance, split custody, and more than six children. The state's own calculator handles these.