Montana child support guidelines
Montana sets child support with a needs-based guideline in the Melson family — one of only a handful of states that reserve each parent’s basic needs before calculating support. This page explains it and links the official state calculator; it doesn’t compute your figure.
The needs-based approach
Rather than a single percentage of income, Montana’s guideline (ARM 37.62) works through stages:
- Each parent’s basic needs — a personal allowance (about $20,748/year under ARM 37.62.114) is set aside first, so support doesn’t push a parent below self-sufficiency.
- The children’s needs — met from both parents’ incomes, including health-care and childcare costs.
- Standard of Living Adjustment (SOLA) — a portion of income remaining after the allowance and the support obligation is allocated so children share in the parents’ resources.
The parenting schedule — how many days the children spend with each parent — also affects the result.
Age, review, and modification
Support ends at 18 or high-school graduation, whichever is later, but not past 19. Montana provides an automatic administrative review every 36 months; within that window, modification generally requires at least a 30% change in a parent’s income. Because the allowances, deductions, and day-count adjustments interact, Montana’s Child Support Services Division provides the official calculator linked above. Use it for an actual estimate; this page only explains the model.
For a real case
The guideline is the starting point, and a Montana court can vary it in the child’s interest. For advice on your situation, consult a Montana family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Montana is set by Montana’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 Montana calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Montana for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Montana?
- Montana uses a needs-based approach in the Melson family of guidelines (Admin. Rules of Montana 37.62). It accounts for each parent's own basic living needs, then the children's needs, then a share of remaining income — using both parents' incomes, the children's costs (including health care and childcare), and the parenting schedule. The Child Support Services Division provides an official calculator that runs the guideline.
- What makes the Melson approach different?
- Unlike a flat percentage, it first protects each parent's ability to meet their own basic needs before setting support, then covers the children's needs and shares surplus income. Montana is one of only a few states that use this style of guideline.
- What is the personal allowance and SOLA?
- Montana reserves a personal allowance for each parent — about $20,748 a year under ARM 37.62.114 — before support is calculated. After that allowance and each parent’s share of the children’s support are covered, any remaining income is subject to the Standard of Living Adjustment (SOLA), so the child shares in the parent’s higher income.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever is later, but not past the 19th birthday. Montana offers an automatic administrative review every 36 months; within that window, modification generally requires at least a 30% change in a parent’s income.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Montana Child Support Services Division calculator linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.