What is child support?
Every parent has an obligation to financially support their child. When parents do not live together, child support may be established to ensure the financial needs of the child are met.
How do I get child support?
You can include a request for child support as part of a divorce or custody case. Learn more about child custody. Learn more about divorce. If you plan to open a child support case and will represent yourself, find child support and financial forms on the Family Law forms index. To open a child support case, file a Complaint for Child Support (CC-DR-001) with the appropriate financial statement. Your local child support enforcement office may also open a child support case for you or help you enforce a child support order. Learn about DHS child support services.
How do I determine the amount of child support?
The Child Support Administration (CSA) has an online calculator that will estimate the amount of child support that the court may approve under current guidelines. See the CSA online child support calculator. Many factors affect the amount of child support. The CSA calculator does not reflect deviations and adjustments a court may allow. Consider speaking with a lawyer if you have questions about your legal rights and obligations. Find a family court help center.
Last updated: February 2021