Michigan Child Support — Calculator, Laws & Guide (2026)

Understanding Michigan child support laws helps both custodial and non-custodial parents know their rights and obligations. This comprehensive Michigan child support guide covers how payments are calculated, what income counts, when support can be modified, and how orders are enforced. Whether you are going through a divorce, seeking a modification, or dealing with non-payment, this guide explains Michigan’s child support system in plain language.

Verified against Michigan statutes and federal OCSE guidelines as of April 2026.

Michigan Child Support Overview

Michigan uses the income shares model for calculating child support. This model is based on the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family were intact. Both parents’ incomes are combined, and the support obligation is divided proportionally.

Michigan uses the Income Shares model under the Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF). Both parents’ net incomes are combined to determine total family income. Each parent’s child support obligation is based on their percentage share of combined net income. The General Care Equation calculates each parent’s base support obligation. A Low Income Transition Equation is applied when its result is lower than the General Care Equation, balancing subsistence needs with child-rearing costs. A Parental Time Offset (PTO) adjusts for overnights the payer-parent has with the child. The number of children affects the obligation through the formula’s schedule tables. The 2025 Michigan Child Support Formula Manual (effective January 1, 2025) is the current version.

How Michigan Calculates Child Support

The Michigan child support calculation considers multiple factors:

1. Determine each parent’s gross income — wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, investment income, and other sources.
2. Calculate combined parental income — add both parents’ adjusted gross incomes together.
3. Apply the guideline schedule — Michigan’s guidelines provide a base support amount based on combined income and number of children.
4. Prorate between parents — each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income.
5. Add healthcare and childcare costs — these are added to the base amount and divided proportionally.
6. Apply adjustments — parenting time credits, other child obligations, and special circumstances may adjust the final amount.

Online calculator: Use our child support estimator below to calculate your estimated obligation.

What Counts as Income in Michigan

Net income. Michigan calculates each parent’s net income, which is not the same as take-home pay or net taxable income. Gross income sources include wages, salaries, tips, gratuities, bonuses, commissions, royalties, interest, dividends, fees, net capital gains, gambling or lottery winnings (to the extent they represent regular income), pensions, annuities, Social Security benefits, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, trust income, military pay, and self-employment income. Deductions include federal and state income taxes, FICA, mandatory retirement contributions, and existing support obligations for other children. Business deductions like rent paid to the parent and real estate depreciation are added back. Income does not include means-tested public assistance (TANF, SSI), property or principal from a one-time inheritance or gift, or child support received for other children. Military housing pay supporting a second residence is excluded.

Imputed income: YES. When a parent is voluntarily unemployed, underemployed, or has an unexercised ability to earn, the court may impute potential income that parent could earn based on actual ability. Imputed income cannot exceed prior income levels, cannot assume more than 40 hours per week, and cannot include overtime or shift premiums. Courts consider prior employment history, education and skills, physical and mental disabilities, work availability, local job market, evidence of earning ability, personal history, presence of children in the home, and whether there has been a significant income reduction. Imputation is not appropriate for a parent employed full-time (35+ hours/week) who has merely stopped working additional hours. Costs associated with earning imputed income (childcare, taxes) are factored in.

Deviation factors: The court may deviate from the formula when it would produce an unjust or inappropriate result. The list is non-exhaustive. Specific factors include: the child has special needs; the child has extraordinary educational expenses; a parent is a minor; property awarded in lieu of support for the child’s benefit; a parent receives bonus income in varying amounts or at irregular intervals; a parent’s share of childcare expenses exceeds 50% of that parent’s base support obligation; the calculated amount does not exceed 20 dollars and administrative costs outweigh the benefit; the family’s net income greatly exceeds the highest income level in the formula tables; and any other factor the court deems relevant. Courts must state reasons for deviation on the record.

Healthcare & Childcare in Michigan Child Support

Health insurance: The MCSF includes a standardized annual amount for ordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses (approximately 200 dollars per child per year for co-pays, deductibles, and uninsured costs). This amount is built into the base support calculation. Additionally, the net determinable portion of health insurance premiums for the children is apportioned between parents based on each parent’s percentage share of family income. Courts order the parent with accessible, reasonable-cost coverage to provide healthcare insurance. Coverage is deemed unreasonable if total obligations (support, childcare, ordinary medical, plus net share of premiums) exceed 50% of the parent’s regular aggregate disposable earnings. Parents with net income below 133% of the federal poverty level or whose child is covered by Medicaid based on that parent’s income should not be ordered to provide coverage unless obtainable at no cost. Extraordinary medical expenses beyond ordinary amounts are addressed separately.

Childcare costs: Childcare costs necessary for employment or education are included in the child support calculation. Net childcare costs (after any tax credits or subsidies) are apportioned between parents based on each parent’s share of combined net income. If a parent’s share of childcare expenses exceeds 50% of that parent’s base support obligation, it may be grounds for deviation from the formula amount.

When Does Michigan Child Support End?

In Michigan, child support generally ends when the child reaches 18, but may extend to 19 years and 6 months if the child is regularly attending high school full-time with a reasonable expectation of graduating while residing full-time with the support recipient or at an institution. Support terminates on the last day of a specified month per the order, regardless of actual graduation date. MCL 552.605b governs post-majority support.. However, support may continue or end earlier based on:

• The child graduates from high school (if still a minor)
• The child becomes emancipated (marriage, military service, self-supporting)
• The child has special needs requiring ongoing support
• College support: NO. Michigan does not require parents to contribute to college or post-secondary education costs through the standard child support formula. Support extends only through high school completion (up to age 19.5). However, courts have discretion to consider extraordinary educational expenses as a deviation factor. Parents may also voluntarily agree to post-secondary support, and such agreements included in a judgment or order are valid and enforceable under MCL 552.605b.

Modifying Michigan Child Support

When to modify: A child support order may be modified upon a finding of substantial change in circumstances. The minimum threshold for modification is a difference of 10% or 50 dollars (whichever is greater) between the current support amount and the amount calculated under the current formula. A review may be requested every 36 months by either parent or the Friend of the Court (FOC) without showing a change in circumstances. Otherwise, a substantial change must be demonstrated, including but not limited to: significant change in either parent’s income, change in physical custody, change in healthcare coverage availability, health issues affecting earning ability, or change in the number of children. MCL 552.517 and MCL 552.517b govern modifications.

How to modify: Either parent or the Friend of the Court (FOC) may request a review and modification. Parents can contact their local FOC office or the Michigan Office of Child Support (OCS) to request a review. The FOC may conduct a review and recommend a modification to the court. If either party objects to the FOC recommendation, they may request a court hearing. A motion to modify can also be filed directly with the circuit court. The court will apply the current Michigan Child Support Formula to determine whether the threshold for modification is met and whether to adjust the order.

Either parent can request a modification. Changes are typically not retroactive to before the date of filing the modification request.

Michigan Child Support Enforcement

Michigan has multiple tools to enforce child support orders when a parent fails to pay:

• Income withholding (wage garnishment) — mandatory under federal and state law for all support orders; state tax refund intercept — available once arrears reach 150 dollars; federal tax refund intercept — available at 150 dollars for public assistance cases or 500 dollars for non-public-assistance cases; driver’s license suspension; professional and occupational license suspension; recreational license suspension; passport denial or revocation — once arrears reach 2500 dollars; contempt of court — civil contempt proceedings with potential jail time (alternative contempt track available for payers with difficulty making payments); credit bureau reporting of arrearages; liens on real and personal property; felony charges for willful non-payment (up to 4 years imprisonment under MCL 750.165); financial institution data match and account seizure

Contact Michigan Office of Child Support (OCS) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), working in conjunction with local Friend of the Court (FOC) offices in each county at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/child-sup for enforcement assistance.

Additional Michigan rules: Michigan uses the Friend of the Court (FOC) system — each county has an FOC office that investigates, recommends, and enforces support orders on behalf of the circuit court. The FOC is unique to Michigan and acts as an arm of the court in domestic relations cases. Parents may opt out of FOC services in limited circumstances. Michigan also uses the MiChildSupport online portal for case management, payments, and information. The Parental Time Offset (PTO) in the MCSF specifically adjusts support based on the number of overnights each parent has, rather than using a simple percentage-of-time calculation. Michigan requires all support payments to be processed through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit (MiSDU). The formula includes a Low Income Threshold tied to the federal poverty guideline (1255 dollars monthly in the 2025 manual) below which a parent’s income is excluded from the family income calculation.

Official Sources & Resources

• Michigan Office of Child Support (OCS) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), working in conjunction with local Friend of the Court (FOC) offices in each county: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/child-sup
• Federal OCSE: acf.hhs.gov/css
• Cornell LII — Child Support: law.cornell.edu
• Michigan Guidelines Statute: MCL 552.519 (Friend of the Court Act, 1982 PA 294, Section 19) — requires the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) Friend of the Court Bureau to develop the Michigan Child Support Formula. MCL 552.605 et seq. (Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act, 1982 PA 295) governs support orders, enforcement, and post-majority support. The formula itself is published as the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual (2025 edition effective January 1, 2025) by the SCAO.

Last verified April 2026. Contact us if you notice outdated information.

Estimate Your Child Support

Use our free child support estimator to calculate estimated monthly payments. Enter both parents’ incomes, number of children, and custody arrangement to see a personalized breakdown based on your state’s formula.

Related Guides

• Michigan Divorce Process Guide
• Michigan Child Custody Guide
• Michigan Alimony Guide
• All Child Support Guides