Child Support Guidelines

Wisconsin Child Support Guidelines

The Child Support Standard provides guidelines to Wisconsin courts for setting payment amounts for child support and medical support. These guidelines are based on the belief that both parents are responsible for supporting their children, whether they live together or not.

The child support guidelines are based on:

• the parent's income
• the time a child spends with each parent
• whether a parent is supporting other children

Shared Placement Cases

Courts may use the shared-placement guidelines when a court gives each parent placement of the child(ren) for at least 25% of the time.

• The court will order each parent to provide the child(ren)'s basic support costs in proportion to the time that parent cares for the child(ren).
• The court must also assign responsibility for payment of the child(ren)'s variable costs in proportion to each parent' share of placement.
• Incomes of both parents are used to set the amount of support.
• The parent's share of placement determines that parent's share of support.
• Use the following worksheet or calculator to estimate support

Child Support Standard Guidelines

Each of the percentages below are applied to the parent's income for child support:

• 17% of income for 1 child
• 25% of income for 2 children
• 29% of income for 3 children
• 31% of income for 4 children
• 34% of income for 5 or more children

Guidelines for Special Circumstances

• Serial Family Cases
  • If a parent supports more than one family, the court may adjust the parent's income for later child support orders. Use the following worksheet or calculator to estimate support.
• Split-Placement Cases
  • If the court orders the placement of one or more children with each parent, the court may use the split-placement guidelines. The court may prorate the Percentage Standard for each child in split-placement based on the total number of children. Use the following worksheet or calculator to estimate support.
    • Prorated percentages: 
      • Cases with 2 children, 12.5% of income for each child
      • Cases with 3 children, 9.67% of income for each child
      • Cases with 4 children, 7.75% of income for each child
      • Cases with 5 children, 6.80% of income for each child
• High-Income Payer Cases
  • The use of the High-Income Payer formula is at the court's discretion. If the paying parent's income is $7,000/month ($84,000/year) or more, the court may use the high-income payer formula. Use the following worksheet or calculator to estimate support.
• Low-Income Payer Cases
  • If the paying parent's income for child support is between 75% and 150% of the federal poverty level the court may use the low-income payer guidelines. Support amounts vary with parent's monthly income and number of children. The federal government updates the poverty level each spring. Use the following  calculator to estimate support. 

For additional information please visit the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families website