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Basics About Child Support and Available Services

Intro

Child support is money one parent pays to their child's other parent or caregiver for the support of the child. The support may be part of an interim, temporary, permanent or modified court order in a:

  • Divorce or legal separation
  • Parentage action
  • Order for protection
  • Child custody action
  • Separate child support action.
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Dad helps child with homework
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A person can receive child support if all of the following apply:

  • They are the parent of a minor child or have court-ordered custody of a minor child
  • The minor child lives with them
  • The child is financially dependent on them
  • One or both of the child's parents are absent from the home
  • A court has ordered a child's parent 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.

Learn more about signing up for child support services.

County child support agencies provide services for:

County child support agencies do not help with:

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

County 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.

Parents' rights and responsibilities

Appendix A is a court document attached to every child support order in Minnesota. It tells parents their rights and responsibilities under the law. More information about working with your county child support agency, reporting changes in your circumstances and other responsibilities.

Take a look and learn more

Private information

Anyone can ask for public child support data. Case-specific information is classified as private data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. The Act restricts child support workers from sharing case information unless they are authorized.

Private data not on individuals can be given to:

  • The person who is the subject of the data
  • Others who the law says can see the data
  • Anyone the person who is the subject of the data says, in writing, can see the data.

Releasing private information

If you want the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and the county child support agency, to give private information about your child support case to a third party, such as your current spouse, attorney, relative or friend, you must authorize it. Complete the Authorization for Release of Information DHS-3549 (PDF) to allow private information to be released. Fax or mail the authorization to the county child support worker you want to release the information.