This toolkit tells you about getting or changing a child support order. For general information about changing or getting a child support order, read the Articles. Read the Common Questions if you have a specific question. If you have an existing divorce, custody, separate maintenance, or paternity case and you want to change or get a child support order, use the Forms link to prepare your forms. If you do not have an existing family court case and you want to get a child support order, go to the article Getting or Changing a Child Support Order and read the section "If You Do Not Have a Family Court Case" to learn about your options. The Checklist below has step-by-step instructions for asking the court to change your existing child support order, or asking for a child support order in your pending family case. Go to Courts & Agencies for information about the court or agency that will handle your case.
You'll find links to legal aid offices and lawyer referral services under Find A Lawyer. If there is a Self-Help Center in your area you can get more help there. If you need something other than legal help, look in Community Services. If you need a fee waiver, an interpreter, a court to accommodate your disability, or more information about going to court, visit Going to Court.
Common Questions
You can use the Do-It-Yourself Motion to Change or Get Child Support tool to prepare a Motion Regarding Support. File the motion in the same court as your family law case.
If you have a child support order from another state, you may want to talk to a lawyer or the local Friend of the Court office. You may be able to have your case transferred to Michigan, but you cannot use the Do-It-Yourself tool to transfer your case.
You can use the Do-It-Yourself Motion to Change or Get Child Support tool if you have:
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A Michigan divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, custody or family support case and want to ask the court to start child support OR
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A child support order from an existing Michigan case and want to ask the court to change the amount of child support
Once you have your Motion Regarding Support form, date and sign it. Make several copies and take it to the court clerk’s office in the county where your family law case is located. The clerk will assign a hearing date and time for your motion. You must pay a filing fee or file a Fee Waiver Request if you cannot afford it.
You can use the MiChildSupport Calculator on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website to find out what the support amount might be in your case.
Every case is different. Child support includes a base support amount. It can also include money for health care and child care costs. The amount of support comes from the Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF). The formula is based on factors such as:
- The parents’ incomes
- The number of children
- Child care costs
- Health care costs
- The number of parenting time overnights the children have with each parent
The court must follow the MCSF unless it would be unfair or inappropriate to follow it. For more information about child support, read Child Support in a Nutshell.
No. Parenting time can't be limited to enforce child support.