Child support includes basic support, medical support and child care support. The child support office or a parent may ask the court to issue a support order. The court reviews both parents' abilities to provide financial support for their children when ordering a child support obligation.
The State of Minnesota has an online Guidelines Calculator to help you estimate the amount of child support that the court may order in any given case. For an accurate estimate, you will need current information about the other parent or caretaker.
Types of support
Basic support
Basic support is for expenses relating to the child's basic needs such as housing, food, clothing, transportation and other expenses relating to the child's care. Support is determined using both parents monthly gross income, court-ordered parenting time and several other factors as required in state law. See the Guidelines Calculator for more information. The basic support obligation does not include payment towards arrears (past-due support).
Medical support
In Minnesota, the court must address medical support. The court may order a parent to do one or more of the following when ordering medical support:
Child care support
The court may order a parent to pay all or part of, work or school-related child care (day care) expenses.
Past support
Support orders may also address past child support for up to two years. In these situations, a parent may owe past due support, called arrears, when the order is signed.
More information
For more information on child support calculations and establishing a court order, go to the Minnesota Department of Human Service website.