Guide to MN Child Support

What is Child Support?

In government policy and family law, child support refers to the ongoing practice for a periodic payment distributed directly or indirectly by an obligor (party who is responsible for support his or her family) to an oblige (individual who maintains custody of the child) for the financial care and support of children in a marriage or relationship that ceases to exist. In most child support cases, the obligor is a non-custodial parent, while the obligee is a custodial parent, a government body or a legal guardian to the child.

All child support obligations are administered and subsequently enforced from the state family court system. The amount of each child support payment is calculated by the local court system based on a variety of economic, professional and social factors, including how the individuals cared for the child and each other while together.


How are Child Support Payments Determined?

Although child support laws are different between each state, in general, there are three primary criteria in determining a child support payment. The first, and arguably most influential factor, is income; the amount of income earned by both parents, will be factored into the determination of child support.

The second factor is custodial responsibility; child support will be offered to the parent who most adequately maintains their role as a responsible caretaker. And lastly, the number of children will be evaluated when determining the rate of a child support payment; the higher the number of children involved in a child support settlement, the higher the prospective child support payments will be. This relationship exists, because more children is proportional to more responsibility, including both parental and financial.


MN Child Support:

In the United States, all state governments maintain their own unique child support laws. For instance, MN child support laws are unique from New York Child support laws. Understanding your state’s applicable child support laws will expedite your filing and will enable you to better organize your particular case.

According to MN child support, every child needs financial and emotional support from both parents; the MN child support program benefits all children by enforcing parental responsibility for their support.

MN child support laws are enforced and maintained by the state’s Child Support Enforcement Division; each county within the state has several child support offices who work with parents to establish and enforce child support orders.

The MN child Support Enforcement division, through these offices, will help children receive the financial basic support, medical support and child care support they deserve and are entitled to. Additionally, the program will help parents establish a financial partnership and work toward becoming self-sufficient units.