Michigan Child Support Calculator (2026)
Michigan calculates child support under income-shares guidelines (MCL 552.605 (formula developed under MCL 552.519; codified as the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual)). Estimate the guideline amount below.
Income basis: combined monthly net family income (both parents' net income after MCSF-defined deductions).
Enter the income above to see the guideline estimate.
Simplified guideline estimate, interpolated from the official schedule — before health-insurance, childcare, and parenting-time adjustments. For the exact figure use the official Michigan calculator.
Your Case Details
Answer a few questions to see your estimated range.
Approximate gap between higher-earner and lower-earner.
Estimated Monthly Support
$840 — $1,560
State formulas vary significantly. This estimate uses national averages — your state's guidelines may produce a different number.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Michigan uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes are combined, the official schedule sets a basic support obligation, and each parent owes their proportional share (MCL 552.605 (formula developed under MCL 552.519; codified as the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual)). The calculator above interpolates the official schedule for a quick estimate — health-insurance, child-care, and parenting-time adjustments come on top.
How Michigan Calculates Child Support
Michigan uses an income-shares variant called the 'General Care Equation': both parents' monthly net incomes are combined (a parent's income is excluded entirely if it does not exceed the Low Income Threshold, 2025 MCSF §2.09(B)/§3.02(B)(1)), then run through a base-percentage-plus-marginal-percentage formula from the official General Care Support Tables to get a base support obligation, which is apportioned by each parent's income share and further adjusted for parenting time, medical, and child care costs. Governed by the 2025 Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF) Manual, effective January 1, 2025 (State Court Administrative Office, Friend of the Court Bureau), with current dollar figures in the January 2025 MCSF Supplement.
Statutory basis: MCL 552.605 (formula developed under MCL 552.519; codified as the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual). Exact figure: official Michigan calculator.
Official Schedule — Excerpt
Basic support obligation at selected combined incomes (combined monthly net family income (both parents' net income after MCSF-defined deductions)), from the official Michigan schedule:
| Combined income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,272.65 | $817.18 | $1,244.59 | $1,501.82 |
| $4,531.37 | $1,039.04 | $1,550.63 | $1,822.52 |
| $7,198.27 | $1,413.74 | $2,095.42 | $2,465.41 |
| $9,432.22 | $1,726.1 | $2,546.7 | $2,999.45 |
Worked Example
Two children, combined monthly net family income $5,000 (≈$60K/year), split Parent A $3,000 (60%) / Parent B $2,000 (40%). $5,000 falls in the Two-Children bracket starting at $4,531.37: Base Support $1,550.63 + 20.43% × ($5,000 − $4,531.37 = $468.63) = $1,550.63 + $95.74 = $1,646.37 combined monthly base support obligation. Apportioned by income share: Parent A owes 60% × $1,646.37 = $987.82/month — before adjustments for parenting-time overnights (2025 MCSF §3.03), medical support (§3.04–§3.05), and child care costs (§3.06).
When Courts Deviate From the Guideline
- The child has special needs (2025 MCSF §1.04(E)(1))
- The child has extraordinary educational expenses (§1.04(E)(2))
- A parent is a minor (§1.04(E)(3))
- A parent has incurred, or is likely to incur, extraordinary medical expenses for that parent or a dependent (§1.04(E)(7))
- A parent receives bonus income in varying amounts or at irregular intervals (§1.04(E)(8))
- The court awards property in lieu of support for the child's benefit (§1.04(E)(6))
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on how much combined income Michigan's child support formula applies to?
No hard statutory cap. The official General Care Support Tables extend to $17,871.57 combined monthly net family income (≈$214,459/year); above that, the top-bracket marginal percentage keeps applying, or the court may use its discretion under 2025 MCSF §3.02(E) instead of the formula (2025 MCSF-S §2.03(B)).
What counts as income under the Michigan Child Support Formula?
"Net income" is broadly defined (2025 MCSF §2.01) to include wages, overtime, bonuses, self-employment/business earnings, retirement and pension distributions, Social Security, unemployment and disability benefits, and military pay, minus MCSF-allowed deductions (actual income taxes, FICA, mandatory retirement/union dues, court-ordered life insurance, and certain deductions for additional children from other relationships, per §2.07–§2.08). Means-tested benefits like TANF, SNAP, EITC, and SSI are excluded.
How does shared/50-50 parenting time affect child support in Michigan?
Michigan applies a 'Parental Time Offset' equation (2025 MCSF §3.03) to the base support obligation. When children split time equally between two parents with equal incomes, neither parent pays the other. When time is equal but incomes differ, the higher-earning parent still pays some support. The offset increases gradually as a parent's overnights increase, rather than triggering only at an exact 50/50 threshold.
Until what age does child support last in Michigan?
Generally until a child turns 18 (MCL 552.605b). A court may extend support until age 19 years 6 months if the child is regularly attending high school full-time with a reasonable expectation of graduating and resides full-time with the support recipient; the order must state a fixed termination month rather than the actual graduation date.