Overview
Below is an overview of child support in MN. Read through the Definitions tab for commonly used words and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information about child support in MN.
What is child support?
Child support is court-ordered payments for the financial support of a child. Under MN law, a child has the right to be financially supported by both parents.
Who can ask for child support?
A parent: Generally, when parents do not live together, they can ask the court for an order establishing a set amount for child support.
Another person: Someone who has third-party custody of a child, such as a relative, may also ask the court to order one or both parents to pay child support.
County Attorney's Office: The local county attorney's office can start a child support case when unmarried parents are not living together and either parent receives public assistance for the child.
For more information about child support, visit the FAQs tab.