Mississippi Child Support Calculator 2026
Estimate Mississippi guideline child support from the paying parent's adjusted gross income. The calculator applies the statutory percentage for the number of children and flags incomes where the court must make a written finding. Calculated privately in your browser.
Estimate only — the court or the child support agency sets the order. Official source: Mississippi Child Support Guidelines (MDHS).
Mississippi sets child support as a 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 (Miss. Code section 43-19-101). The other parent's income is not part of the formula. This calculator applies the statutory percentage to the adjusted gross income you enter.
How Mississippi Child Support Is Calculated
Start with gross income from all sources. Subtract federal, state and local taxes, Social Security contributions, and mandatory retirement and disability contributions. Court-ordered support already paid for other children is also subtracted, and the court may allow an amount for other children living with the paying parent. Divide the annual result by twelve and multiply by the percentage below.
| Children due support | Percentage of adjusted gross income |
|---|---|
| 1 | 14% |
| 2 | 20% |
| 3 | 22% |
| 4 | 24% |
| 5 or more | 26% |
The percentages are a rebuttable presumption. Where adjusted gross income is more than $100,000 or less than $10,000 a year, the court must make a written finding on whether applying the guidelines is reasonable.
Worked Example: Mississippi Child Support
With adjusted gross income of $5,000 a month and two children, the guideline is 20%, so estimated support is $1,000.00 a month ($12,000.00 a year). The same income with one child gives $700.00, and with three children $1,100.00.
Shared Parenting and Health Insurance in Mississippi
Mississippi has no formula for overnights. The shared parental arrangement, for example a paying parent who spends a great deal of time with the children, is one of the listed reasons a court may depart from the percentage (section 43-19-103). Every order must include reasonable medical support; if the custodial parent is required to carry the health insurance, its cost is taken into account in setting the award. Because neither rule is a fixed formula, this calculator does not adjust for them.
Estimate Only: Who Sets the Mississippi Order
This page gives an estimate only — the court or the state child support agency sets the order, and either can depart from the guideline where the law allows. Before relying on any figure, check the amount against the Mississippi Child Support Guidelines (MDHS).
If your income, the parenting schedule or the children's needs change, ask the court or the agency to review the order, and keep paying the ordered amount until it is changed. Last updated: October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in Mississippi?
Mississippi law sets child support as a 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 (Miss. Code section 43-19-101). The other parent's income is not part of the formula.
What is adjusted gross income in Mississippi?
It is gross income from all sources minus federal, state and local taxes, Social Security contributions, and mandatory retirement and disability contributions. Court-ordered support already paid for other children is also subtracted, and the court may allow an amount for other children living with the paying parent.
Do the Mississippi percentages apply to every income?
They are a rebuttable presumption. When adjusted gross income is more than $100,000 or less than $10,000 a year, the court must make a written finding on whether applying the guidelines is reasonable, so the amount may differ.
Does shared custody reduce child support in Mississippi?
There is no formula for it. The shared parental arrangement, such as a paying parent who spends a great deal of time with the children, is one of the listed reasons a court may depart from the guideline percentage (section 43-19-103).
Is health insurance included in Mississippi child support?
Every order must include reasonable medical support. The court decides which parent provides health insurance; if the custodial parent is required to obtain coverage, its cost is taken into account in setting the award. There is no fixed formula, so this calculator does not add it.