Child Support
Minn. Stat. 518A.34 — both parents' incomes shared by percentage, for a child under 18 or under 20 in secondary school
| Step | What the court does |
|---|---|
| StepFirst | What the court doesDetermines each parent's gross income |
| StepSecond | What the court doesSubtracts any credit for children the parents do not share, giving each parent's income for determining child support |
| StepThird | What the court doesWorks out each parent's percentage of the combined amount |
| StepFourth | What the court doesTakes the combined basic support obligation from the guidelines |
| StepFifth | What the court doesMultiplies it by each parent's percentage, then applies the parenting expense adjustment |
Who handles this in Minnesota: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Minnesota directory.
A child for these purposes is someone under 18 years of age, someone under age 20 who is still attending secondary school, or someone who because of a physical or mental condition cannot support themselves.
When a change is presumed. Support may be modified on substantially changed income or need, among other grounds. A change is presumed substantial where the guidelines applied to current circumstances produce an order at least 20 percent and at least $75 a month higher or lower than the current one, or where a parent's gross income has dropped by at least 20 percent through no fault or choice of that parent.
The guideline table, the parenting expense adjustment and the income rules are in the sections around this one. How they apply to a particular household are questions for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Minn. Stat. 518A.34 — Computation of child support obligations
- Minn. Stat. 518A.39 — Modification of orders or decrees
- Minn. Stat. 518A.26 — Definitions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.