Mississippi Child Support Calculator

Mississippi sets child support as a flat percentage of the paying parent’s adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four and 26% for five or more, under Miss. Code § 43-19-101. Adjusted gross income is gross income minus taxes, Social Security, mandatory retirement contributions and support paid under other orders. Unlike most states, Mississippi’s basic formula looks only at the paying parent’s income. The calculator below applies the statute step by step.

All income sources: wages, commissions, self-employment, benefits (Miss. Code § 43-19-101(3)). A new spouse’s income does not count.
Not voluntary 401(k) contributions.

How Mississippi calculates child support

Mississippi uses a percentage-of-income guideline. The statute lays out the steps in order:

  1. Start with gross income from all sources reasonably available to the paying parent: wages, salary, commissions, self-employment income, investment income, and benefits such as Social Security, workers’ compensation and unemployment. A new spouse’s income is not counted.
  2. Subtract mandatory deductions: federal, state and local income taxes, Social Security contributions, and mandatory retirement and disability contributions. Voluntary retirement contributions are not deducted.
  3. Subtract support ordered for other children. If the paying parent has other children living with them, the court may also subtract an amount it considers appropriate for those children.
  4. Apply the guideline percentage for the number of children in this case to the monthly adjusted gross income.

Example: a paying parent earns $5,000 a month gross, with $600 withheld for income taxes and $382.50 for Social Security and Medicare. Adjusted gross income is $4,017.50. For two children, 20% of that is about $804 a month.

Mississippi child support percentages

  • 1 child: 14% of adjusted gross income
  • 2 children: 20%
  • 3 children: 22%
  • 4 children: 24%
  • 5 or more children: 26%

These percentages are a rebuttable presumption. They apply unless the court makes a written finding, or a specific finding on the record, that using them would be unjust or inappropriate in that case.

Incomes under $10,000 or over $100,000 a year

When the paying parent’s adjusted gross income is more than $100,000 or less than $10,000 a year, § 43-19-101(4) requires the court to make a written finding on whether applying the guideline is reasonable. That does not mean the percentage stops applying. It means the judge has to address it on the record, and the outcome is more likely to differ from the straight percentage. The calculator flags both situations.

Shared custody and other reasons to deviate

Mississippi has no separate shared custody formula. Instead, time with both parents is one of the factors a court may use to depart from the guideline. Under Miss. Code § 43-19-103, the court can deviate, with a written finding, based on:

  • the particular shared parenting arrangement, such as a noncustodial parent who spends a great deal of time with the children and reduces the other parent’s costs
  • extraordinary medical, psychological, educational or dental expenses
  • the child’s independent income
  • seasonal changes in either parent’s income or expenses
  • the age of the child, taking into account the greater needs of older children
  • special needs the family budget has traditionally met
  • the total assets of both parents and the child
  • child care costs the receiving parent pays to work or because of a disability
  • payment of both child support and spousal support

So in a 50/50 arrangement, expect the percentage to be the starting point, with the shared time argued as a reason to go lower.

What the calculator does not include

Health insurance, uncovered medical costs and child care are not built into Mississippi’s percentages. Courts typically address them separately in the order, which is why the calculator asks only for the paying parent’s income and deductions. If your order splits medical costs or requires insurance, those obligations sit on top of the monthly figure.

What to gather before you run the numbers

The figure is only as good as the income you enter. Pull the paying parent’s last three to six pay stubs to get average gross pay and the actual tax, Social Security and retirement withholding. Self-employed parents should use the most recent tax return and year-to-date profit and loss figures. Have the current court order handy so you can compare it with the guideline, and note any other support orders the paying parent already pays, since those come off the top before the percentage applies.

Changing an existing Mississippi order

To modify child support in Mississippi, the parent asking must generally show a material change in circumstances that was not anticipated when the last order was entered, such as a lasting drop or increase in income or a change in where the children live. Enter the current order amount in the calculator to see how far it sits from today’s guideline. For a longer explanation of the percentage model and when judges depart from it, read how Mississippi’s percentage guideline works.

The full modification process for Mississippi and every other state is in Navigating Child Support. Our forms app prepares the court paperwork from your answers, and the free modification audit checks whether your order is worth revisiting. For other states, use the 50-state child support calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage is child support in Mississippi?

14% of the paying parent’s adjusted gross income for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four and 26% for five or more.

Does Mississippi count the other parent’s income?

Not in the basic formula. The percentage applies to the paying parent’s adjusted gross income only. The court can consider both parents’ assets when deciding whether to deviate.

Is child support lower with 50/50 custody in Mississippi?

There is no automatic reduction. Shared parenting time is a deviation factor under § 43-19-103, so the court can lower support if it finds the arrangement reduces the other parent’s costs.

Is there a cap on child support in Mississippi?

There is no fixed dollar cap. Above $100,000 of adjusted gross income a year, the court must make a written finding on whether the percentage is reasonable.

Sources

This page and calculator provide general legal information, not legal advice. Child support rules change and the court decides the final amount. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed Mississippi attorney.