The official formula for calculating child support in Minnesota is difficult to understand.

The firm has experienced Minnesota child support lawyers who know the law and have handled many different child support situations.

Calculating Child Support in Minnesota

To determine the obligor’s (child support payer) basic support obligation, the court shall:

    • (1) determine the gross income of each parent;
    • (2) calculate the parental income for determining child support of each parent, by subtracting from the gross income the credit, if any, for each parent’s non-marital children
    • (3) determine the percentage contribution of each parent to the combined by dividing the combined amount into each parent’s non-marital children calculation;
    • (4) determine the combined basic support obligation by application of guidelines which are set in another statute
    • (5) determine the obligor’s share of the basic support obligation by multiplying the percentage figure from clause (3) by the combined basic support obligation in clause (4); and
    • (6) determine whether parenting expense adjustment should be allowed, if any, and adjust the obligor’s basic support obligation accordingly. If the parenting time of the parties is presumed equal, there will be a credit given and other law will be used to figure out which parent receives child support.

A final child support order will most often designate, separately, the amount owed for basic support, child care support, and medical support.

For more information on how the state calculates follow this link for the Minnesota child support calculator.

The court does have some discretion to deviate from the orders, but a judge will stick close to the calculations unless a persuasive argument can be made by a skilled Minnesota child support lawyer.

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