Minnesota Child Support Guidelines

The guidelines take into account the gross income of both parents and the actual amount of parenting time instead of using labels such as legal or physical custody.

There are three broad categories:

• Basic Support: A cash payment from one party to the other

• Medical Support: Has two parts

  • Medical premiums
  • Uninsured costs like co-pays and prescriptions
• Daycare support: Cost for daycare expense are divided among the parties

The court will rely on a comparison of the gross income of each of the parents. This comparison is known as the PICS. (Percentage Income Comparison for child Support purposes)
The court would apply the PICS % for each parent to the expense for Medical Support and Daycare support to determine how much each parent would pay.

The Minnesota Child Support Calculator is online and can calculate what you owe based on the facts of your case.
Child support is paid until the child emancipates. A child emancipates when the following occurs:

• 18 years old or
• High School graduation whichever is later
• At no point will child support be paid past age 20
• It also occurs if the child joins the military or
• Marries prior to the age of 18 or
• Emancipates on their own (gets a job on their own)

These are guidelines that need to be calculated and included in your Mediation Memorandum. We will look at your earnings and expenses to determine if the guidelines make sense based on your specific situation. In Mediation you decide how each of you wants to support your children and if you need to deviate from the guidelines. Any deviation from the guidelines will be noted in your Mediation Memorandum.