Alaska Child Support Calculator

When the children live mostly with one parent, the other parent pays a percentage of their yearly income after taxes and a few other deductions: 20% for one child, 27% for two, 33% for three, and 3% more for each additional child. The receiving parent’s income doesn’t change that amount.

The amounts subtract estimated 2026 taxes for a single filer with wages only. They leave out the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) and other income, which raise support a little. Once each parent has the children at least 30% of the year (110 nights), the shared custody formula lowers support. The percentages are in Alaska Civil Rule 90.3(a)(2).

Alaska uses a percentage of income formula, based on the paying parent’s income only. It adds up their income from all sources, subtracts taxes and a few other allowed costs (Alaska calls what is left “adjusted annual income”), and multiplies that by the percentage for the number of children.

The steps are in Civil Rule 90.3(a):

1. Add up total income for the year: wages, self-employment, the PFD, and other income.
2. Subtract allowed deductions: income taxes, Social Security and Medicare, required union dues and retirement, some voluntary retirement savings, support for children from other relationships, child care for these children so the parent can work, and the parent’s own health insurance.
3. Multiply by the percentage for the number of children, up to the $138,000 limit.
4. Divide by 12 for the monthly amount, at least $50.
5. Use the shared custody formula if each parent has at least 30% of the year.

Example

One parent earns $5,000 a month in wages and the other $3,000. With one child living mostly with the lower earner, the higher earner pays 20% of their income after taxes: about $835 a month. The court’s child support FAQ walks through the income rules.

Yes, and it starts well short of 50/50. Once each parent has the children at least 30% of the year (110 nights), Alaska’s shared custody formula lowers support, and it drops more as time evens out. With one child and wages of $5,000 and $3,000 a month, the higher earner pays about $835 a month below 30%, $645 at 30%, $443 at 40%, and $240 at 50/50.

Each parent’s percentage amount is worked out first, as if the other parent had the children. Each amount is then multiplied by the other parent’s share of the time. The parent with the larger result pays the difference, multiplied by 1.5. That is never more than they would pay if the children lived mostly with the other parent. In the example, the lower earner’s percentage amount is $515. The time must be set in the custody order, and a night generally counts only if the children stay over. See Civil Rule 90.3(b) and (f) and the Rule 90.3 commentary, section V.

Below 30%, support can drop by up to 75% while the children stay with the paying parent for more than 27 days in a row, such as over the summer. The order has to set that lower amount. See Civil Rule 90.3(a)(3).

A parent who pays child care for these children so they can work subtracts it from their income before the percentage applies. Child care the receiving parent pays isn’t added to support, but a judge can raise support because of it.

Child care while a parent is in school or training for a better job also counts. When the receiving parent pays for child care, the percentage amount may be too low to cover it, so a judge can order more. See Civil Rule 90.3(a)(1)(E) and the commentary, sections III.E and VI.B.

The court must order health insurance for the children when either parent can get it at a reasonable cost. The children’s share of the premium is split equally between the parents, and support goes up or down for whichever parent pays it.

• Reasonable cost: presumed when the children’s coverage costs no more than 5% of the providing parent’s income after taxes and deductions. The court also considers whether the children can get care through the Indian Health Service.
• Uncovered bills: split equally unless the court orders another split for a good reason. Each parent pays their share within 30 days of getting the bill. Costs over $5,000 in a year are split based on each parent’s finances.

These rules are in Civil Rule 90.3(d).

If you get Alaska Temporary Assistance (cash assistance), you have to help the state get child support from the other parent. Support collected goes to the state, though up to $50 a month can come to you. Food stamps (SNAP) don’t require this in Alaska.

• Alaska Temporary Assistance: the state collects the support while you get assistance, and you have to help it set up and enforce the order (for example, by naming the other parent and going to paternity tests). You can be excused for a good reason, such as a risk of violence. The state can pass up to $50 a month of the support on to you, under AS 47.27.040.
• Food stamps (SNAP): Alaska doesn’t require you to help with child support, according to the USDA SNAP State Options Report.
• Not income for support: Temporary Assistance, food stamps, and SSI don’t count as income in the formula, under the Rule 90.3 commentary, section III.A.

When a parent’s total income is $30,000 a year or less, Alaska figures support from whichever is lower: their income after taxes and deductions, or their total income minus $7,500. When the children live mostly with the other parent, support is at least $50 a month.

• Example: a parent earning $2,000 a month in wages ($24,000 a year) has $16,500 after the $7,500 deduction, so support for one child is $275 a month.
• The $50 minimum applies when the children live mostly with the other parent, even with no income. With shared custody, the final amount can be lower, as the commentary, section VI.C, explains.
• Earning less by choice: a judge can base support on what a parent could earn if they quit or cut back on work by choice without a good reason, but not for a parent who can’t work because of a disability or who is caring for the parents’ child under 2.

See Civil Rule 90.3(a)(4), (a)(5), and (c)(3).

The percentages apply to the first $138,000 a year of income after taxes and deductions, which is $2,300 a month for one child. A judge can order more for a parent above that when it is fair to.

At the limit, support is $3,105 a month for two children and $3,795 for three. Above it, the judge looks at the children’s needs and standard of living and the parent’s ability to pay, under Civil Rule 90.3(c)(2).

Yes, but only with strong proof that the formula amount would be clearly unfair, and the judge must explain the change in writing.

Examples in the commentary include a very large family, a child with significant income of their own, large health or other costs, and unusually low living costs. The parents agreeing on an amount isn’t enough by itself. See Civil Rule 90.3(c)(1) and the commentary, section VI.

Ask CSED (Alaska’s child support agency) to change an order it issued, or file a motion with the court to change a court order. A new amount more than 15% higher or lower than the current order is presumed to be enough of a change. The current order stays in effect until it changes.

• Through CSED: for an order CSED issued, ask by phone, email, or letter, with your tax returns, W-2s, and recent pay stubs. CSED can also review an order after three years. See its modifications FAQ.
• Through the court: to change a court order, use the court’s forms and instructions to modify support.
• No going back: back child support (past-due) can’t be reduced. A change can start once the motion or CSED’s notice is delivered to the other parent.

The rules are in Civil Rule 90.3(h). The Alaska child support guide walks through each step.

Yes. Alaska’s Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) has a Child Support Calculator in its ACSESS Client Portal. In court, parents file a Child Support Guidelines Affidavit (Form DR-305) with the matching custody worksheet.

CSED’s Child Support Calculator takes the PFD, other income, and the deductions this page leaves out. For a court case, the court’s How to Calculate Child Support Under Civil Rule 90.3 (DR-310) explains the affidavit and the shared, divided, and hybrid custody worksheets.