Alaska Child Support Calculator

Alaska sets child support under Civil Rule 90.3 as a flat percentage of the paying parent’s adjusted annual income: 20% for one child, 27% for two, 33% for three and 3% more for each additional child. The formula applies to adjusted income up to $138,000 a year, and the minimum order is $50 a month. When each parent has the children at least 30% of the year, a shared custody formula compares both parents’ amounts and multiplies the difference by 1.5. The calculator below follows both methods.

Total income (including PFD) minus income taxes, Social Security/Medicare, mandatory dues and retirement, and support paid for prior children (Civil Rule 90.3(a)(1)). Enter child care below instead of subtracting it.
At least 30% of the year (about 110 overnights) for each parent triggers the shared custody formula.
Add-on costs (monthly, optional)
Compare your order with what the guideline produces today.

How Alaska calculates child support

Alaska is one of the few states that uses a percentage-of-income model rather than an income shares table. In a primary custody case, only the paying parent’s income is used. The steps:

  1. Start with total income from all sources. That includes wages, self-employment income, Permanent Fund Dividends and other income. A court may use potential income for a parent who is voluntarily and unreasonably unemployed or underemployed (Rule 90.3(a)(4)).
  2. Subtract the allowed deductions to get adjusted annual income: federal, state and local income tax, Social Security and Medicare tax, mandatory union dues and retirement contributions, voluntary tax-deferred retirement contributions (with mandatory contributions, up to 7.5% of income), support paid for prior children and spousal support actually paid for former spouses, work-related child care for the children in this case, the parent’s own health insurance premiums (up to 10% of income) and up to $1,200 a year of qualifying life insurance premiums.
  3. Multiply by the percentage for the number of children: 20%, 27%, 33%, plus 3% for each child after three.
  4. Divide by 12 for the monthly amount.

Example: a paying parent with $60,000 of adjusted annual income and two children owes 27%, or $16,200 a year, which is $1,350 a month.

Shared physical custody: the 30% rule

A parent has shared physical custody under Rule 90.3(f) when the custody order gives that parent the children at least 30%, and no more than 70%, of the year. That is roughly 110 overnights. In a shared case under Rule 90.3(b)(1):

  1. Calculate what each parent would pay if the other had primary custody, using the same percentages, cap and minimum.
  2. Multiply each parent’s figure by the percentage of time the other parent has the children.
  3. The parent with the larger result pays the difference multiplied by 1.5.
  4. The result cannot be more than that parent would pay under the primary custody formula.

The court can adjust the time percentages if they don’t reflect what each parent actually spends on the children.

Health insurance and child care

Work-related child care is not added to support in Alaska. Instead, the parent who pays it deducts it from income. The cost of the children’s health insurance is split equally between the parents unless the court orders otherwise: support goes down by half of what the paying parent spends on the children’s coverage, and up by half of what the receiving parent spends (Rule 90.3(d)(1)). Reasonable health care expenses not covered by insurance are presumed to be split equally too, but amounts above $5,000 in a calendar year are allocated based on the parents’ relative financial circumstances (Rule 90.3(d)(2)).

Low incomes, high incomes and the minimum

  • Low-income adjustment. For a parent with total annual income of $30,000 or less, adjusted income is the lower of the usual figure or total income minus $7,500 (Rule 90.3(a)(5)).
  • Minimum order. The minimum support amount is $50 a month, or $600 a year, with exceptions for extended visitation credits and shared custody (Rule 90.3(c)(3)).
  • High incomes. The percentage formula does not apply to adjusted income above $138,000 a year. The court can make an additional award above that only if it is just and proper, considering the children’s needs and standard of living and the parent’s ability to pay (Rule 90.3(c)(2)).

When the court can vary the formula

Rule 90.3(c)(1) lets the court vary the award for good cause only on clear and convincing evidence that manifest injustice would result otherwise. The court must state in writing the reason and the amount the formula would have required. Unusual circumstances can count as good cause, and the receiving parent’s income is considered in that decision. Separately, the court can reduce payments by up to 75% during extended visitation of more than 27 consecutive days if the order specifies it (Rule 90.3(a)(3)).

Changing an existing Alaska order

Under Rule 90.3(h)(1), a support order can be modified on a material change of circumstances. A material change is presumed when support calculated under the rule is more than 15% greater or less than the current order, counting health insurance payments. Modifications are not retroactive: a change can take effect only on or after the date the motion, or a Child Support Services Division notice of petition, is served on the other parent (Rule 90.3(h)(2)). That makes filing promptly important.

Enter your current order in the calculator to see the gap. If the result is more than 15% different, you meet the presumption. Our free modification audit walks through the rest, and the 50-state book covers the Alaska filing process step by step.

Alaska child support FAQ

What percentage of income is child support in Alaska?

20% of adjusted annual income for one child, 27% for two, 33% for three, and an extra 3% for each additional child.

What is the income cap for Alaska child support?

The formula applies to adjusted annual income up to $138,000. Above that, the court may order more only if it is just and proper.

How does 50/50 custody affect child support in Alaska?

When each parent has the children at least 30% of the year, both parents’ amounts are calculated, weighted by the other parent’s time, and the difference is multiplied by 1.5. With equal incomes and equal time, support can be close to zero.

When can I modify child support in Alaska?

When the guideline amount differs from your current order by more than 15%, a material change of circumstances is presumed. A change can only apply from the date the motion is served.

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 Alaska attorney.