Section 518A.34 Computation of Child Support Obligations

MINNESOTA STATUTES AND CODES

Section 518A.34 Computation of Child Support Obligations

518A.34 COMPUTATION OF CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS.

(a) To determine the presumptive child support obligation of a parent, the court shall follow the procedure set forth in this section.

(b) To determine the obligor's basic support obligation, the court shall:

(1) determine the gross income of each parent under section 518A.29;

(2) calculate the parental income for determining child support (PICS) of each parent, by subtracting from the gross income the credit, if any, for each parent's nonjoint children under section 518A.33;

(3) determine the percentage contribution of each parent to the combined PICS by dividing the combined PICS into each parent's PICS;

(4) determine the combined basic support obligation by application of the guidelines in section 518A.35;

(5) determine the obligor's share of the basic support obligation by multiplying the percentage figure from clause (3) by the combined basic support obligation in clause (4); and

(6) determine the parenting expense adjustment, if any, as provided in section 518A.36, and adjust the obligor's basic support obligation accordingly. If the parenting time of the parties is presumed equal, section 518A.36, subdivision 3, applies to the calculation of the basic support obligation and a determination of which parent is the obligor.

(d) The court shall determine the medical support obligation for each parent as provided in section 518A.41. Unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses are not included in the presumptive amount of support owed by a parent and are calculated and collected as described in section 518A.41.

(e) The court shall determine each parent's total child support obligation by adding together each parent's basic support, child care support, and health care coverage obligations as provided in this section.

(f) If Social Security benefits or veterans' benefits are received by one parent as a representative payee for a joint child based on the other parent's eligibility, the court shall subtract the amount of benefits from the other parent's net child support obligation, if any.

(g) The final child support order shall separately designate the amount owed for basic support, child care support, and medical support. If applicable, the court shall use the self-support adjustment and minimum support adjustment under section 518A.42 to determine the obligor's child support obligation.