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 Mississippi, child support guidelines are established by state law to ensure that children receive adequate financial support from their parents following a divorce or separation. These guidelines are found in the Mississippi Code, specifically in Title 43, Chapter 19, which outlines the percentages of a non-custodial parent's adjusted gross income that should be allocated for child support based on the number of children to be supported. The basic percentages range from 14% for one child to 26% for five or more children. The calculation takes into account both parents' incomes and financial resources, the needs of the custodial parent, the needs and standard of living of the children, and any special needs the children may have. While these guidelines provide a framework for determining child support, Mississippi courts have the discretion to deviate from these guidelines when it is in the best interest of the child or children involved. Factors that may lead to deviation include extraordinary medical, psychological, educational, or dental expenses; independent income of the child; payment of both child support and spousal support; seasonal variations in one or both parents' incomes; special shared parenting arrangements; total assets of the parents and the child; any other necessary adjustment to achieve an equitable result which may include, but not be limited to, a reasonable and necessary existing expense or debt. The primary goal is to ensure that the child support award is fair and meets the children's needs.