How to Calculate Child Support Payments in Alaska

How to Use the Alaska Child Support Calculator and Worksheets

To get an estimate of the amount of child support you may pay or receive, you can use Alaska's official online calculator for child support.

You'll need to have some basic information on hand before using the calculator, including both parents' income, what your physical custody (parenting time) arrangements will be, and certain child-related expenses for the child (including health insurance coverage and work-related child care).

Be aware that the online calculator won't work for certain custody arrangements:

• shared custody (when each parent has the children at least 110 overnights each year)
• divided custody (when each parent has primary custody of at least one of their children), or
• hybrid custody (when the parents have different custody arrangements for different children).

The Alaska Courts Self-Help page provides links to the worksheets you'll need to calculate support in those situations, as well as to the Child Support Guidelines Affidavit (the official form you'll submit when you apply for child support), instructions, and other information you might need.

When Child Support May Be Different Than the Guideline Calculation

Alaska presumes that the amount calculated under the guidelines is appropriate, but you may argue that a different amount would be better in your situation. Whether you and the child's other parent have agreed on a support amount that departs from the guideline or a judge decides for you, the judge will have to find that using the amount calculated under the guidelines would be clearly unfair and that there's a good reason to use a different amount. (Alaska Civil Rule 90.3(c) (2024).)

Learn more about how child support works in Alaska, including factors judges must consider when deviating from the guidelines and what gets counted as income when calculating support.

How to Apply for Child Support in Alaska

Typically, you'll apply for child support as part of the process of filing for divorce in Alaska. You'll include your completed child support worksheet along with the other divorce papers.

Outside of the divorce context, you may get help with requesting support by applying for child support services from the Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) within the Alaska Department of Revenue. If needed, the CSED may also help with establishing the child's legal paternity or parentage and locating absent parents.

How to Collect Child Support in Alaska

The Alaska CSED will collect and process child support payments.

If you're having trouble collecting support, the CSED can also help enforce your support order. Depending on how much the other parent owes, the agency has several ways of enforcing child support, including withholding support from paychecks, reporting the debt to credit bureaus, intercepting income tax refunds, intercepting unemployment benefits, seizing money from bank accounts, placing liens on property (so the delinquent parent can't sell it or borrow money before paying off the debt), and suspending the parent's driver's or other licenses. (Alaska Stat. §§ 25.27.230 - 273 (2024).)

How to Change the Amount of Child Support

Either parent may request a modification in the amount of child support in Alaska. The rules for modifying child support are different, depending on how long it's been since the date of your existing order:

• If it's been less than three years, you'll need to provide evidence showing there's been a change in circumstances that affects the proper amount of child support, such as a change in custody. But Alaska assumes that you've met that requirement if a new calculation using the guidelines results in a support amount that's more than 15% higher or lower than what you're currently paying or receiving.
• If it's been three years or more, you may request a modification without demonstrating a change in circumstances.

(Alaska Civil Rule 90.3(h); Alaska Stat. § 25.24.170 (2024).)

If you have an administrative support order that was established through the Alaska CSED, you may request a review of your current order to see if you qualify for a modification from the agency. But if your existing order was issued by a court, you'll need to file a motion in court to request a modification of child support.