Child Support in Michigan: How It Is Set, Changed, and Paid

A look at how child support works in Michigan: the Michigan Child Support Formula, the Friend of the Court, how long support lasts, how to ask for a change, and what to gather and avoid.

How is child support calculated in Michigan?

Michigan courts set child support using the Michigan Child Support Formula. The formula looks mainly at both parents' incomes and overnights with each parent, plus costs like child care and health care. A judge can order a different amount only by explaining in writing or on the record why the formula would be unjust or inappropriate.

The Formula and When a Court Can Depart From It

Under MCL 552.605, the court must order support in the amount the formula produces, unless it finds that using the formula would be unjust or inappropriate. If the court departs from it, the court has to state the formula amount, how and why the order is different, and the value of any property given instead of support. Parents can agree to a different amount, but the court still has to make those findings.

Because the formula runs on numbers, the income figures used matter a great deal. Wages, overtime, self-employment income, and other sources can all be counted. If a parent is not working to their ability, the court may consider what they could earn.

This guide is written for people with cases in Downriver (Wayne County), Monroe County, and elsewhere in Michigan.

What does the Friend of the Court do in a child support case?

The Friend of the Court is an office of the circuit court that investigates, recommends support amounts, reviews orders, and enforces support and parenting time.

In Downriver, child support cases are handled through the Third Circuit Court in Wayne County and its Friend of the Court. In Monroe County, they go through the Monroe County Circuit Court and its Friend of the Court. Support can be part of a divorce, a paternity case, a custody case, or a separate support case.

How long does child support last in Michigan?

Child support generally lasts until a child turns 18, but a court can extend it while the child attends high school full time, up to age 19 and a half.

Under MCL 552.605b, the child must be regularly attending high school full time with a reasonable expectation of graduating, and living full time with the parent receiving support or at an institution. The order must name the month support ends. Support for college is not required by this statute.

Can child support be changed in Michigan?

Yes. Either parent can ask the court to modify support, or ask the Friend of the Court to review the order, but a change generally reaches back only to the date the other parent got notice of the request.

That timing rule is in MCL 552.603. Past-due support is a judgment and generally cannot be reduced later. So if your income drops or your parenting time changes, file promptly rather than waiting. The Friend of the Court must review an order on a written request from either parent, but it does not have to act on more than one request from a parent every 36 months (MCL 552.517). A parent can still file a motion with the court.

How Support Is Paid

Most Michigan support payments go through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit, called MiSDU. Payments are often taken from the paying parent's wages through income withholding. Keep your own records of every payment, and keep the Friend of the Court updated with your address and employer.

Unpaid support can lead to enforcement by the Friend of the Court, including show cause hearings. If you are behind, the earlier you raise it, the more options you usually have.

What to Gather, What to Avoid, and the Bottom Line

Gather recent pay stubs, your last two or three tax returns, proof of other income, health insurance costs for the children, child care receipts, a calendar of overnights, and any current order or Friend of the Court paperwork.

What not to do:

Do not stop paying, or pay "on the side," without a court order. Payments outside MiSDU may not be credited.
Do not wait months to ask for a change after your income drops.
Do not hide income or leave it off financial forms.
Do not tie support to parenting time. They are separate obligations.

Support follows the formula and the numbers you give the court. Get your records in order and act early when things change.

How I Can Help

If you need child support set, changed, or enforced in Downriver (Wayne County), Monroe County, or nearby, I can review your situation and the numbers, explain the process and your options, and represent you in circuit court and before the Friend of the Court.

Call (734) 775-9327 or use my contact form for a free consultation.

This guide is general information about Michigan law, not legal advice. Laws change, and every case is different. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.