Regardless of income level, Minnesota parents must support their children after divorce under the terms of the state child support guidelines. These laws indicate the factors used in the state’s child support calculations.
If you expect to pay child support after a divorce in Minnesota because you earn significantly more than your spouse or will have limited parenting time, review the provisions of the child support guidelines.
Factors in determining support
Your child support amount will depend on:
- How many overnights you spend with your children each month
- How much you and your former spouse pay for medical, dental and child care costs each month
- Whether any of your children receive government benefits (for a disability, for example)
- Whether either you or your former spouse have existing spousal support orders or child support orders
- How many children you have together
- The gross monthly income each of you earn
- Each parent’s debt
- Each parent’s ability to pay
The calculation process
When you file for divorce or answer your spouse’s divorce petition, you can also ask for a child support order. The state will gather the data above as part of your required financial disclosure. You can also provide information about costs that do not fall into the standard legal factors. For example, if your child attends private school, parents must agree on how to fund tuition.
Child support payments end when your child turns 18, or until age 20 if he or she is still in high school. You and your former spouse can also agree to provide a longer period of support if you can afford to do so, until your child graduates college for example.
