Minnesota child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
Minnesota guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, Minnesota's guideline amount is $937 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Minnesota uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect January 1, 2026.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your Minnesota guideline amount
Guideline child support
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Minnesota child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $406 | $597 | $774 | $938 |
| 2 children | $568 | $836 | $1,083 | $1,313 |
| 3 children | $647 | $953 | $1,234 | $1,496 |
| 4 children | $699 | $1,030 | $1,334 | $1,617 |
| 5 children | $741 | $1,091 | $1,414 | $1,713 |
How Minnesota calculates child support
Minnesota uses the income shares model: the guideline table gives the basic support for the parents' combined monthly income, and each parent is responsible for their percentage share.
Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes and retirement contributions. Spousal maintenance paid is deducted and received is added. Need-based public assistance and child support received do not count. Weekly income is multiplied by 4.33 to get a monthly amount.
Minnesota's parenting expense adjustment cubes each parent's annual overnights and weighs each parent's share of basic support by the other parent's overnights. The more overnights the paying parent has, the less they pay. A parent with more than 55% of the parenting time is presumed to owe no basic support.
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of 120% of the federal poverty guideline for one person. If their income above it is less than the guideline amount, medical support and then basic support are reduced. At very low incomes a minimum basic support of $50 a month for one child, up to $100 for six or more, applies instead.
The children's health coverage premium is divided by income share. The parent who doesn't carry the coverage contributes their share, which this estimate adds to or subtracts from the payment. Child care support isn't included because it depends on DCYF tax-credit tables.
Support a parent pays under other orders is deducted from income. For other children a parent supports without an order, 75% of the table amount for those children on that parent's income is deducted.
The table runs to $20,000 of combined income a month. Above that the $20,000 amount applies unless the court finds a child needs more.
Incomes and amounts are in whole dollars and income shares in whole percentages, as on the official worksheet.
Parenting time in Minnesota
Minnesota's parenting expense adjustment cubes each parent's annual overnights and weighs each parent's share of basic support by the other parent's overnights. The more overnights the paying parent has, the less they pay. A parent with more than 55% of the parenting time is presumed to owe no basic support.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $944 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $937 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $850 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $730 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $157 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in Minnesota
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $71 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $2,203 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of 120% of the federal poverty guideline for one person. If their income above it is less than the guideline amount, medical support and then basic support are reduced. At very low incomes a minimum basic support of $50 a month for one child, up to $100 for six or more, applies instead.
The table runs to $20,000 of combined income a month. Above that the $20,000 amount applies unless the court finds a child needs more.
Child support by number of children in Minnesota
- 1 child$669 a month
- 2 children$937 a month
- 3 children$1,069 a month
- 4 children$1,154 a month
- 5 children$1,224 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: Minn. Stat. §§ 518A.26–518A.43
- Minnesota child support guidelines
- Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Minnesota Child Support Guidelines Calculator)
- Official Minnesota child support calculator
- Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Child Support Division
- Changing a Minnesota child support order
Guidelines effective January 1, 2026. Verified against the official Minnesota sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Minnesota?
Minnesota uses the income shares model: the guideline table gives the basic support for the parents' combined monthly income, and each parent is responsible for their percentage share. Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes and retirement contributions. Spousal maintenance paid is deducted and received is added. Need-based public assistance and child support received do not count. Weekly income is multiplied by 4.33 to get a monthly amount.
What is the child support for one child in Minnesota on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, Minnesota's guideline amount for one child is about $597 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Minnesota?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $157 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Minnesota's parenting expense adjustment cubes each parent's annual overnights and weighs each parent's share of basic support by the other parent's overnights. The more overnights the paying parent has, the less they pay. A parent with more than 55% of the parenting time is presumed to owe no basic support.
What is the minimum child support in Minnesota?
The paying parent keeps a self-support reserve of 120% of the federal poverty guideline for one person. If their income above it is less than the guideline amount, medical support and then basic support are reduced. At very low incomes a minimum basic support of $50 a month for one child, up to $100 for six or more, applies instead.
When does child support end in Minnesota?
A child for support purposes is under 18, under 20 and still in secondary school, or unable to support themselves because of a physical or mental condition. Support for a child ends automatically at emancipation when the order sets an amount per child; an order for several children continues in full until the last child is emancipated unless the court changes it. We didn't locate an official source on support for college.