Child Support Calculation Worksheet - Minnesota
IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PREPARATION GUIDE — NOT THE OFFICIAL COURT WORKSHEET
The Minnesota Child Support Division's Child Support Guidelines Calculator estimates
support under the Minnesota guidelines. The agency states that the calculator is
informational and educational only, is not a substitute for the guidelines, and does not
guarantee the amount a court will order. Use the current calculator at
https://childsupportcalculator.dhs.state.mn.us/ and follow the court's current filing
instructions. This private preparation worksheet is not a court form.
CHILD SUPPORT CALCULATION WORKSHEET
State of Minnesota — Income Shares Model
Court: [________________________________]
County: [________________________________]
Court File Number: [________________________________]
Judge/Child Support Magistrate: [________________________________]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Party and Children Information
- Gross Income Determination
- Parental Income for Child Support (PICS)
- Combined PICS and Proportionate Shares
- Basic Support Obligation
- Parenting Expense Adjustment
- Additional Support Components
- Total Child Support Obligation
- Deviations from Guidelines
- Duration and Termination
- Minnesota-Specific Notes
1. PARTY AND CHILDREN INFORMATION
Parent 1:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Employer: [________________________________]
Parent 2:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Employer: [________________________________]
Children Subject to This Order:
| # | Full Legal Name | Date of Birth | Age | Resides Primarily With |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] | ☐ Parent 1 ☐ Parent 2 |
| 2 | [________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] | ☐ Parent 1 ☐ Parent 2 |
| 3 | [________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] | ☐ Parent 1 ☐ Parent 2 |
| 4 | [________________] | [__/__/____] | [____] | ☐ Parent 1 ☐ Parent 2 |
Court-Ordered Parenting Time Inputs (§ 518A.36):
Parent 1 approximate annual overnights or overnight equivalents: [____]
Parent 2 approximate annual overnights or overnight equivalents: [____]
Parenting-time order date: [__/__/____]
If no court order awards parenting time, the court calculates support without a parenting
expense adjustment. Do not substitute former percentage tiers for the current statutory
formula.
2. GROSS INCOME DETERMINATION
| Income Source | Parent 1 (Monthly) | Parent 2 (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Salary/Wages | $[________] | $[________] |
| Overtime/Shift Differentials | $[________] | $[________] |
| Commissions/Bonuses | $[________] | $[________] |
| Self-Employment (net) | $[________] | $[________] |
| Rental Income | $[________] | $[________] |
| Dividends/Interest/Capital Gains | $[________] | $[________] |
| Pension/Retirement | $[________] | $[________] |
| Social Security Benefits | $[________] | $[________] |
| Workers' Compensation | $[________] | $[________] |
| Unemployment Benefits | $[________] | $[________] |
| Spousal Maintenance Received | $[________] | $[________] |
| Military/VA Benefits | $[________] | $[________] |
| Other: [____________] | $[________] | $[________] |
| TOTAL MONTHLY GROSS INCOME | $[________] | $[________] |
☐ Potential income attributed to Parent 1 — Basis: [________________________________]
☐ Potential income attributed to Parent 2 — Basis: [________________________________]
3. PARENTAL INCOME FOR CHILD SUPPORT (PICS)
PICS is not after-tax income. Under Minn. Stat. §§ 518A.26, subd. 15, and
518A.33, the PICS calculation subtracts the statutory deduction for nonjoint children
from gross income; it does not subtract a generic list of taxes, FICA, pensions, union
dues, insurance, maintenance, or other household expenses.
| PICS Calculation | Parent 1 (Monthly) | Parent 2 (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross income under Minn. Stat. § 518A.29 | $[________] | $[________] |
| Less: court-ordered support actually paid for a nonjoint child (§ 518A.33(b)) | $[________] | $[________] |
| Less: calculated deduction for other eligible nonjoint children (§ 518A.33(c)) | $[________] | $[________] |
| PICS (Monthly) | $[________] | $[________] |
4. COMBINED PICS AND PROPORTIONATE SHARES
Combined Monthly PICS: $[________]
| Parent 1 | Parent 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly PICS | $[________] | $[________] |
| Percentage Share of Combined PICS | [____]% | [____]% |
5. BASIC SUPPORT OBLIGATION
Number of children subject to this order: [____]
Basic Support Obligation (from Guidelines Table, § 518A.35): $[________] per month
| Parent 1 | Parent 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Rata Share of Basic Support | $[________] | $[________] |
6. PARENTING EXPENSE ADJUSTMENT
The court applies the formula in Minn. Stat. § 518A.36, subd. 2, using each
parent's approximate annual court-ordered overnights and each parent's share of the
combined basic support obligation. The formula determines both which parent is the
obligor and the adjusted basic-support amount; it does not use categorical 10%, 45%,
or 45.1% tiers.
Current Guidelines Calculator result:
Parent identified as obligor: ☐ Parent 1 ☐ Parent 2
Adjusted basic support obligation: $[________] per month
☐ Equal parenting time and equal PICS; review § 518A.36, subd. 3, and whether
the child's expenses are equally shared.
7. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT COMPONENTS
| Additional Component | Monthly Amount | Parent 1 Share | Parent 2 Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical support — health/dental insurance premiums | $[________] | $[________] | $[________] |
| Unreimbursed/uninsured medical expenses | $[________] | $[________] | $[________] |
| Childcare support (work/education related) | $[________] | $[________] | $[________] |
| TOTAL ADDITIONS | $[________] | $[________] | $[________] |
8. TOTAL CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION
| Calculation Component | Parent 1 | Parent 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted basic support obligation | $[________] | $[________] |
| Plus: medical support | $[________] | $[________] |
| Plus: childcare support | $[________] | $[________] |
| TOTAL MONTHLY OBLIGATION | $[________] | $[________] |
| Less: direct payments made | ($[________]) | ($[________]) |
| NET MONTHLY CHILD SUPPORT OWED | $[________] | $[________] |
Monthly child support order: $[________]
Monthly medical support order: $[________]
Monthly childcare support order: $[________]
9. DEVIATIONS FROM GUIDELINES
☐ No deviation requested
☐ Deviation requested — Basis:
☐ All earnings, income, and resources of the parents
☐ The extraordinary financial needs of the child or parent
☐ The standard of living the child would have enjoyed
☐ A child's special medical, educational, or psychological needs
☐ The financial resources, needs, and obligations of both parents
☐ Debts determined as jointly incurred during the marriage
☐ Whether a parent has the ability to increase earnings
☐ Other: [________________________________]
Requested adjustment: $[________] per month (☐ increase / ☐ decrease)
Justification: [________________________________]
10. DURATION AND TERMINATION
Child support shall continue for each child until:
☐ The child reaches age 18
☐ The child reaches age 20 while attending secondary school full-time
☐ The child is emancipated or married
☐ Other: [________________________________]
11. MINNESOTA-SPECIFIC NOTES
- Income Shares Model: Minnesota uses the Income Shares Model under Minn. Stat. § 518A.35, combining both parents' PICS to determine the basic obligation.
- Three-Component System: Minnesota separates child support into three components: basic support, medical support, and childcare support.
- Income Cap: The guidelines table applies to combined PICS up to $20,000 per month.
- Parenting Expense Formula: Section 518A.36 uses court-ordered overnights or overnight equivalents and each parent's support share in a cubic formula; the former percentage-tier summary must not be used.
- Wage Garnishment: Under Minn. Stat. § 518A.53, refined rules govern how much of a parent's earnings can be garnished for child support enforcement.
- Modification: Either party may seek modification upon a substantial change in circumstances or if the existing order differs by at least 20% and $75 from the guidelines amount.
VERIFICATION
I declare under penalty of perjury that the information provided in this worksheet is true, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge.
Parent 1:
Signature: [________________________________]
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
Parent 2:
Signature: [________________________________]
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
About this template
- Last updated
- September 4, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Minnesota
- Category
- Family Law
Legal authority
- Minn. Stat. § 518A.26 et seq. (Child Support)
- Minn. Stat. § 518A.33 (Deductions for nonjoint children)
- Minn. Stat. § 518A.34 (Computation of child support obligations)
- Minn. Stat. § 518A.35 (Basic support; guidelines)
- Minn. Stat. § 518A.36 (Parenting expense adjustment)
Family law covers the paperwork that shapes divorce, custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, and other family matters. These filings are emotional and high-stakes, and they also have to meet strict procedural rules for service, financial disclosure, and parenting plans. Clean, accurate paperwork keeps the focus on getting a workable outcome for the family instead of getting derailed by technical problems that delay hearings or force amended filings.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
The statutes this template relies on are listed under Legal authority.
Minn. Stat. § 518A.26, subd. 15 (checked September 4, 2026): ""Parental income for determining child support," or "PICS," means gross income minus deductions for nonjoint children allowed under section 518A.33."
Minn. Stat. § 518A.36, subd. 2 (checked September 4, 2026): "The court shall apply the following formula to determine which parent is the obligor and calculate the basic support obligation."
Minnesota Child Support Guidelines Calculator (checked September 4, 2026): "The calculator provides an estimate only and is not a guarantee of the amount of child support the court will order."
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