Child support on $55,000 a year in Wisconsin (5 children)
Wisconsin guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Wisconsin overview
If Parent A earns $55,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Wisconsin's guideline amount is $1,558 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Across the table below it ranges from $877 paid by Parent B (Parent B earns $100,000, equal time) to $1,558 (Parent B has no income, Parent A has no overnights).
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Change the numbers
Guideline child support
Wisconsin · 5 children · Parent A $55000 per year · Parent B $40000 per year · children live mostly with Parent B
$1,558 a month
Parent A pays Parent B
- Parent A: 57.9% of combined income
- Parent B: 42.1%
How it adds up
- Basic obligation
- $1,558 a month
- Guideline amount
- $1,558 a month
See the worksheet for this example
Wisconsin uses the percentage of income model under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 150; Wis. Stat. § 767.511. Official calculator: dcf.wisconsin.gov. Child support agency: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Child Support Program.
Estimate under Wisconsin's child support guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Verified against the official Wisconsin sources on October 7, 2026. Not legal advice. Courts can deviate from the guidelines. How we calculate →
By parenting time and the other parent's income
| Overnights | $0 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B |
| 52 | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B | $1,558 A→B |
| 104 | $1,558 A→B | $1,429 A→B | $1,308 A→B | $1,187 A→B | $1,066 A→B | $945 A→B | $703 A→B | $500 A→B |
| 128 | $1,518 A→B | $1,220 A→B | $1,071 A→B | $922 A→B | $773 A→B | $624 A→B | $325 A→B | $76 A→B |
| 182 | $1,172 A→B | $748 A→B | $536 A→B | $324 A→B | $112 A→B | $100 B→A | $523 B→A | $877 B→A |
The Wisconsin worksheet for this example
| Line | Official label | Value |
|---|---|---|
| D5-A | Monthly income available for child support (Parent A)Parent A’s gross income a month | $4,583.33 a month |
| D5-B | Monthly income available for child support (Parent B)Parent B’s gross income a month | $3,333.33 a month |
| II-9-A | Final adjusted monthly income available for child support (Parent A)Parent A’s income for this order | $4,583.33 a month |
| II-9-B | Final adjusted monthly income available for child support (Parent B)Parent B’s income for this order | $3,333.33 a month |
| D6 | Percentage standard for the number of childrenPercentage | 34% |
| D7-A | Monthly child support obligation, percentage standard (Parent A)Parent A’s amount at the percentage | $1,558.33 a month |
| D7-B | Monthly child support obligation, percentage standard (Parent B)Parent B’s amount at the percentage | $1,133.33 a month |
| SC-A | Designated-percentage amount after the high- or low-income provisions (Parent A)Parent A’s amount after special circumstances | $1,558.33 a month |
| SC-B | Designated-percentage amount after the high- or low-income provisions (Parent B)Parent B’s amount after special circumstances | $1,133.33 a month |
| SP-10 | Estimated amount of supportGuideline amount | $1,558.33 a month |
Open the official DCF 150 Appendix B, Child Support Percentage Worksheet →
With child care and health insurance
Wisconsin's guideline amount doesn't add child care costs.
| Costs | Guideline amount |
|---|---|
| No add-ons | $1,558 a month A→B |
| Child care $500 a month | $1,558 a month A→B |
| Child care $1,000 a month | $1,558 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $150 a month | $1,558 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $300 a month | $1,558 a month A→B |
Child care and health insurance aren’t added to the percentage amount. The court assigns health insurance and uninsured medical costs separately, and with shared placement it splits costs such as child care and tuition by each parent’s share of placement.
How Wisconsin works it out
Wisconsin sets child support as a percentage of the paying parent’s gross monthly income: 17% for one child, 25% for two, 29% for three, 31% for four and 34% for five or more. The other parent’s income doesn’t change the amount unless the parents share placement.
Income is gross income from all sources, taxable or not, divided by twelve for a monthly figure. Public assistance, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps and child support received are left out. Taxes aren’t deducted.
When each parent has the children at least 92 overnights a year, Wisconsin’s shared-placement formula applies: each parent’s income times the percentage, times 150%, times the share of time the children spend with the other parent. The two amounts are offset, and the paying parent never pays more than the plain percentage of their own income.
Frequently asked questions
How much child support is paid on $55,000 in Wisconsin for 5 children?
If Parent A earns $55,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Wisconsin's guideline amount is about $1,558 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
How much is that a week?
That is about $360 a week (the monthly amount × 12 ÷ 52).
What if the parents share time equally?
With about equal parenting time and the same incomes, the guideline amount is about $324 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
What if Parent B has no income?
If Parent B has no income and the children live mostly with Parent B, the guideline amount is about $1,558 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Official sources and verification
- Law: Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 150; Wis. Stat. § 767.511
- Wisconsin child support guidelines
- DCF 150 Appendix B, Child Support Percentage Worksheet
- Official Wisconsin child support calculator
- Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Child Support Program
- Changing a Wisconsin child support order
Guidelines effective March 1, 2026. Verified against the official Wisconsin sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →