Child Support Enforcement

Responsibilities

Minnesota's child support program benefits children by enforcing parental responsibility for their support. The Minnesota Department of Human Services, Child Support Division supervises the child support program. County child support offices administer it by working with parents to establish and enforce support orders. The child support program helps:

  • Children receive the financial basic support, medical support, and child care support they deserve
  • Families work toward becoming and remaining self-sufficient
  • Parents establish a financial partnership

 

Services

A person can receive child support if all of the following apply: 

  • The person is the parent of a minor child or is the person who has court-ordered custody of the minor child
  • The minor child lives in the person's household
  • The child is financially dependent on that person
  • One or both of the child's parents are absent from the home
  • A court has ordered a person to pay child support

Child support services are available to:

  • Parents of minor children, if one parent does not live with the child
  • Parents who pay child support through court-ordered income withholding
  • People who have court-ordered, physical custody of a minor child
  • People who receive public assistance for a minor child who lives in their home

 

The child support unit provides services for:

The child support unit does not help with:

  • Divorces
  • Parenting time and custody
  • Spousal maintenance (alimony) establishment
  • Legal advice or counsel

 

Child support agencies and county attorneys do not represent either parent in child support court actions. Instead, they represent the best interests of the child according to the requirements of child support statutes and guidelines. In Minnesota, parents can also use an expedited process to resolve child support matters where they can represent themselves.

 

Apply for Services

To apply for services, complete the online application at the MN Department of Human Services website or contact our agency at 218-643-7161 to speak with a child support officer.

 

The Minnesota Child Support Guidelines Calculator is a tool to estimate the amount of child support that the court may order on a case. The Court has final authority; and the calculator provides an estimate only.

 

Payment Information

Once a parent has applied for child support services, all payments must go through the Minnesota Child Support Payment Center. If a child support office is enforcing the order, you may not get credit for any payments made directly to the other parent. For questions on making payments or receiving payments, please review the Payment Information section at the MN Department of Human Services website or contact your child support officer.

 

Parents can get payment and general case information by registering online at Minnesota Child Support Online.

 

Safety

We take the safety of families receiving child support services seriously, and we can modify some of our processes to help with safety concerns. If you have concerns that seeking our service will create a risk of harm to you or your child, contact our agency at 218-643-7161 to speak with a child support officer.