Most states have child support guidelines in their statutes—often in the statutes collected in the state’s family code. These child support guidelines provide percentages and methods of calculating child support payments based on the number of children; the parents’ incomes and financial resources; the income and needs of the custodial parent; the needs of the children, including any special needs; and the standard of living for the children before the parents’ divorce or separation. The child support guidelines are just guidelines, and the court generally has discretion to order more or less child support based on the best interest of the children.

In Minnesota, child support guidelines are established under Minnesota Statutes, specifically in the family law codes, to ensure that children receive adequate financial support from their parents following a divorce or separation. These guidelines take into account several factors, including the number of children, the income and financial resources of both parents, the needs of the custodial parent, the children's needs (including any special needs), and the standard of living the children would have enjoyed if the marriage had not ended. The guidelines provide a framework for calculating child support payments using a formula that considers the parents' gross incomes and the amount of time each parent spends with the children, among other factors. While these guidelines are intended to standardize child support calculations, Minnesota courts have the discretion to deviate from the guidelines if it is determined that applying them would not be in the best interests of the children. Such deviations must be justified by the court with written findings that explain why the guideline amount would be inappropriate, considering the best interests of the child.