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

Understanding Wyoming child support laws helps both custodial and non-custodial parents know their rights and obligations. This comprehensive Wyoming 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 Wyoming’s child support system in plain language.

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

Wyoming Child Support Overview

Wyoming 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.

Wyoming uses the Income Shares Model under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-304. Both parents’ net monthly incomes are combined and applied to statutory tables based on the number of children. The total child support obligation from the table is divided between parents in proportion to each parent’s share of combined net income. Wyoming provides three calculation methods: (1) Basic with no overnight credit, (2) Shared custody when each parent has the children overnight more than 25% of the year (applies a 150% multiplier to the total obligation, then each parent’s share is multiplied by the percentage of time the children spend with the other parent), and (3) Split custody when each parent has primary care of one or more children. A self-support reserve applies — if the difference between the obligor’s net income and the federal poverty line for one person is less than the calculated obligation, support is set at that difference.

How Wyoming Calculates Child Support

The Wyoming 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 — Wyoming’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 Wyoming

Net income. Wyoming defines income as any form of payment or return in money or in kind regardless of source, including wages, salary, commissions, overtime, tips, bonuses, self-employment income, temporary and permanent disability payments, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, annuity and retirement benefits, and other payments. Net income equals gross income minus: federal income taxes, state and local taxes, FICA/Social Security and Medicare taxes, mandatory retirement contributions, cost of dependent health care coverage for all dependent children, actual payments under preexisting support orders for other children, other court-ordered support obligations currently being paid, and mandatory deductions. Per Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-303.

Imputed income: YES. Under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-307, if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court shall compute child support based on the parent’s potential earning capacity. The court evaluates past work history, education, training, special skills, availability of employment the parent is qualified for, prevailing wages for those jobs, and whether the children live with that parent.

Deviation factors: Under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-307, courts may deviate from presumptive support only upon written findings that application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. Factors include: responsibility for support of other children; value of services contributed by either parent; expenses related to pregnancy and confinement; cost of transportation for visitation; ability to furnish health, dental, and vision insurance through employment; amount of time the child spends with each parent; extraordinary medical expenses not covered by insurance (ongoing therapy, orthodontia, prescriptions, specialized care); any other necessary expenses for the benefit of the child; and whether either parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. The party seeking deviation bears the burden of proof.

Healthcare & Childcare in Wyoming Child Support

Health insurance: Under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-401, both parents are required to provide health insurance for their children when coverage is available at a reasonable cost through an employer or group plan. The cost of health insurance premiums attributable to the children (marginal cost of adding children, not the parent’s own coverage) is added to the basic child support obligation and divided between parents in proportion to their incomes. The health insurance cost cannot exceed 5% of the providing parent’s income. The parent providing insurance receives a credit for the children’s portion of the premium. The cost of dependent health care coverage is also deducted from gross income in computing net income.

Childcare costs: Childcare costs that enable a parent to work or attend school may be added to the basic child support obligation. These costs are divided between the parents in proportion to their net incomes, similar to healthcare costs.

When Does Wyoming Child Support End?

In Wyoming, child support generally ends when the child reaches 18 (age of majority). Exceptions: support continues until age 20 if the child is a full-time high school student; support continues indefinitely if the child is mentally or physically disabled and incapable of self-support. A child under 18 may petition the court for a declaration of emancipation.. 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. Wyoming does not require parents to contribute to college costs by statute. However, parents may voluntarily agree to continue support for college expenses and include that provision in a written agreement submitted to the court to be made part of an official court order.

Modifying Wyoming Child Support

When to modify: Two paths: (1) Substantial change of circumstances may be raised at any time — examples include commencement of POWER Program aid, Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, or custody changes. (2) If applying the current guidelines to current circumstances would change the support amount by 20% or more per month from the existing order, the court shall consider that a sufficient change of circumstances. Additionally, every 3 years either party may request a review with no showing of changed circumstances required. Per Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-311.

How to modify: A parent may file a petition for modification with the Wyoming district court. Alternatively, either party may request a review through the Wyoming Child Support Program (Department of Family Services). The Wyoming Judicial Branch provides pro se modification packets. For the 3-year review, the court reviews and adjusts the order in accordance with current guidelines upon request.

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

Wyoming Child Support Enforcement

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

• Income withholding/wage garnishment (from paycheck
• unemployment
• workers’ compensation
• disability
• Social Security
• or other income source); federal and state tax refund intercept (Treasury Offset Program); driver’s license and commercial driver’s license suspension; professional
• occupational
• and recreational license suspension (including hunting licenses via Wyoming Game & Fish Department); contempt of court (fines or jail); credit bureau reporting; passport denial; liens and levies on bank accounts; liens on real or personal property; civil contempt actions through district court.

Contact Wyoming Child Support Program, a program of the Wyoming Department of Family Services at https://childsupport.wyo.gov/ for enforcement assistance.

Additional Wyoming rules: Self-support reserve set at the federal poverty line for one person — if the obligor’s net income minus the poverty line is less than the calculated support, the obligation is capped at that difference. Shared custody 150% multiplier applies when each parent has overnight custody more than 25% of the year. Three distinct calculation methods in the statute (basic, shared, split custody). Court may require security for child support payments under § 20-2-315. Court may appoint trustees to manage amounts set aside for children under § 20-2-314. Wyoming has no state income tax, which affects net income calculations (no state tax deduction from gross income).

Official Sources & Resources

• Wyoming Child Support Program, a program of the Wyoming Department of Family Services: https://childsupport.wyo.gov/
• Federal OCSE: acf.hhs.gov/css
• Cornell LII — Child Support: law.cornell.edu
• Wyoming Guidelines Statute: Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-301 through § 20-2-315 (Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 3 — Child Support). Key sections: § 20-2-303 (income definitions), § 20-2-304 (presumptive child support/tables), § 20-2-307 (deviations and imputed income), § 20-2-311 (modification/adjustment), § 20-2-313 (cessation of support), § 20-2-401 (health insurance).

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

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