Mississippi Child Support Calculator and
Guidelines Worksheet

How much is child support in Mississippi? Mississippi uses the Percentage of Income model under Miss. Code Ann.

§ 43-19-101. The statute applies a flat percentage to the non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for 1 child, 20% for 2, 22% for 3, 24% for 4, and 26% for 5 or more.

A non-custodial parent with $4,500/month adjusted gross income would owe $630/month for 1 child or $900/month for 2 children. Mississippi uses adjusted gross income, not net income, making it simpler than Income Shares models.

When does child support end in Mississippi? Under Miss. Code Ann.

§ 93-11-65, child support continues until the child turns 21 in Mississippi — one of the longer statutory periods in the country. This is not a typo: Mississippi extends the default obligation to age 21, not 18.

Parents can agree to terminate earlier, but absent a court order modifying the obligation, the 21-year default applies. Courts can also order support for a disabled or special-needs child beyond age 21 in appropriate cases.

Mississippi's Percentage of Income calculation starts with determining the non-custodial parent's income. Depending on whether Mississippi uses a flat or varying percentage model, the court either applies a single percentage regardless of income level or uses a sliding scale where the percentage decreases as income rises.

The specific percentages and income thresholds are set forth in Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more, providing a clear framework that both parents can reference.

For a flat percentage model, the calculation is straightforward: if the statutory rate for one child is, for example, 20% and the obligor's net monthly income is $5,000, the child support payment would be $1,000 per month. For two or more children, the percentage typically increases — the exact rates for Mississippi are set forth in Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more and should be verified against the current schedule.

The varying percentage model applies different rates at different income brackets, producing a more graduated obligation.

While the custodial parent's income is not part of the primary calculation in Mississippi's model, it may become relevant in deviation proceedings. Courts can adjust the guideline amount based on the child's healthcare needs, childcare expenses, and the custodial parent's ability to cover day-to-day costs.

The simplicity of the percentage-based approach makes it efficient for courts to process, but the deviation framework ensures that exceptional circumstances receive individualized attention.

The number of children is the most direct factor in any Mississippi child support calculation under the child support guidelines in Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more. The basic child support obligation increases with each additional child, though not in a strictly linear fashion.

The amount of child support also depends on each parent's monthly gross income, which includes wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and other recurring sources. The noncustodial parent's share is calculated based on their proportion of the combined monthly gross income.

Health care and child care costs play a major role. The parent who carries the child's health insurance receives a credit or offset, and unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding a threshold are typically split between the parents.

Child care costs necessary for employment or education are added to the basic child support obligation and divided proportionally between parents.

Children with special needs — whether physical, developmental, or educational — can significantly increase the amount of child support. Mississippi courts operating under Miss.

Code Ann. § 43-19-101 have discretion to deviate upward from the guideline amount when a child requires therapies, specialized schooling, or ongoing medical treatment that exceeds ordinary expenses.

Similarly, extracurricular activities and private school tuition may be considered, though courts vary in how they treat these costs.

High-income cases present unique challenges. Where Mississippi's schedule under Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more sets a maximum combined income threshold, courts exercise independent discretion above that cap rather than applying the standard table.

When a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, Mississippi courts may impute income — assigning an earning capacity based on the parent's education, work history, job market conditions, and prior earnings — to prevent artificially lowering the child support amount by choosing not to work or accepting a lower-paying job without justification.

Mississippi's child support obligation generally continues until the child reaches the age of majority under state law — check Miss. Code Ann.

§ 43-19-101 for the specific cutoff age, which may extend beyond 18 in certain circumstances such as a child still in high school or college. Support may also end earlier if the child becomes emancipated through marriage, military service, or court order.

Either parent may petition the court under Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101 to modify a child support order when there has been a material change in circumstances. Common triggers include:

• A significant income change for either parent (a material change in circumstances — such as a significant income shift, change in custody arrangement, or change in the child's needs — is generally required to modify the existing order; the exact threshold under Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101 controls for Mississippi)
• Loss of employment or onset of a disability
• A significant change in the child's medical, educational, or developmental needs
• A substantial change in the custody or parenting-time arrangement

The parent seeking modification bears the burden of proving that circumstances have genuinely changed since the last order.

Modifications in Mississippi under Miss. Code Ann.

§ 43-19-101 are not automatic — even when circumstances change, the existing order remains in effect until a court enters a new one. Filing promptly matters because modifications typically take effect from the date of the petition, not retroactively to when the change occurred.

Parents who delay filing risk accumulating arrears under the original order that cannot be forgiven, since federal law prohibits retroactive reduction of child support arrears. Families navigating this process should contact a Mississippi family law attorney to confirm the specific modification threshold and filing procedures that apply to their order.

Mississippi has multiple enforcement mechanisms under Miss. Code Ann.

§ 43-19-101 to ensure child support is paid. The most common tool is income withholding (wage garnishment), which is now mandatory for most new and modified child support orders.

Under an income withholding order, the obligor's employer deducts the support amount directly from their paycheck and sends it to the state disbursement unit. This approach removes the obligation from the paying parent's discretion and provides the custodial parent with reliable, timely payments.

When wage garnishment is insufficient or the obligor is self-employed, Mississippi can pursue additional enforcement actions:

• Intercepting federal and state tax refunds
• Placing liens on real and personal property
• Suspending driver's licenses and professional or occupational licenses
• Denying or revoking passport applications for arrears exceeding $2,500
• Reporting delinquent obligors to credit bureaus

Each tool creates significant practical consequences that apply without a separate court hearing.

In severe cases, Mississippi courts may hold a non-paying parent in contempt of court, which can result in fines, community service, or incarceration. Repeated willful failure to pay can lead to criminal prosecution under both state and federal law.

The Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act makes it a federal crime to willfully fail to pay child support for a child living in another state when the arrearage exceeds $5,000 or has been unpaid for more than one year. The federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSE) can assist custodial parents with enforcement at no cost.

To contact the Mississippi child support program directly, use the OCSE state programs directory.

The amount of parenting time each parent exercises directly affects the child support calculation in Mississippi. When the non-custodial parent has the child for a significant number of overnights — typically 25% or more of the year (approximately 92 overnights in many jurisdictions) — Mississippi's guidelines under Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more apply a shared-custody or parenting-time adjustment that reduces the non-custodial parent's obligation.

A parent who has the child more often incurs more direct expenses for housing, food, and daily needs, so the transfer payment to the other parent reflects that shared financial responsibility.

In cases where parents share custody equally (50/50), Mississippi courts typically still calculate support based on the income differential between the parents. The higher-earning parent generally pays support to the lower-earning parent, even in a true 50/50 arrangement, because the child's standard of living should be roughly comparable in both households.

The amount is usually significantly lower than in a traditional custody arrangement as calculated under Percentage of non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, 26% for five or more. Even small changes in the overnight count — such as moving from 120 to 128 overnights — can cross a threshold that triggers a meaningful change in the support calculation.

Use the Mississippi Custody Time Calculator to track overnights precisely and determine which parenting time threshold applies to your schedule.