Alaska child support guidelines
Alaska calculates child support under Civil Rule 90.3, a percentage-of-income model applied to the paying parent’s adjusted annual net income. This page explains it and links the official state calculator — it does not compute your amount.
The primary-custody percentages
When one parent has primary custody, Rule 90.3 applies these percentages of adjusted annual net income:
- 1 child — 20%
- 2 children — 27%
- 3 children — 33%
- each additional child — +3%
“Adjusted annual net income” is total income minus allowed deductions (taxes, mandatory retirement, and other Rule 90.3 items) — so it’s well below gross pay.
Custody arrangement, the minimum, and modification
Rule 90.3 uses different methods depending on custody:
- Primary custody — the percentages above;
- Shared custody — each parent has the children at least 30% of the year (about 110 overnights); each parent’s amount is multiplied by the other parent’s share of time, then offset;
- Divided custody — each parent has primary custody of at least one child.
There’s a minimum of $50/month total (not per child), plus room for high-income and hardship adjustments. Support runs to 18, or 19 if still in high school and living with the custodial parent, and a change of about 15% or more in the calculated amount supports modification. Because these depend on your specifics, use the official CSSD calculator above (as a guest) for an actual estimate.
For a real case
The guideline is the starting point; an Alaska court can vary from it for good cause. For advice tied to your situation, consult an Alaska family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Alaska is set by Alaska’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Alaska calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Alaska for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
Sources
Last updated:
Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Alaska?
- Alaska sets child support by Civil Rule 90.3. In a primary-custody case, it applies a percentage to the paying parent's adjusted annual net income: 20% for one child, 27% for two, and 33% for three, with an additional 3% for each child beyond three.
- What is "adjusted annual net income" in Alaska?
- It is total income from all sources minus allowed deductions — taxes, mandatory retirement, and certain other items defined in Rule 90.3. The percentage applies to that net figure, so it is meaningfully lower than gross pay.
- Does shared custody change the calculation?
- Yes. Rule 90.3 has separate methods for shared custody (each parent has the children at least 30% of the year, about 110 overnights) and divided custody (each parent has primary custody of at least one child). In shared custody each parent’s amount is multiplied by the percentage of time the other parent has the children, and the two are offset.
- Is there a cap or minimum, and until what age is support paid?
- Rule 90.3 sets a minimum of $50 a month total (not per child) and allows adjustments for high incomes and for hardship. Support generally continues to age 18, or 19 if the child is still in high school and living with the custodial parent. A change of about 15% or more in the calculated amount is grounds to modify.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Alaska Child Support Services Division calculator linked on this page (you can use it as a guest). This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.