Estimate Wisconsin child support for 2026 using the Percentage of Income Standard guideline model under Wis. Stat. § 767.511; Wis. Admin. Code DCF 150. Enter both parents' incomes and the parenting-time split to see what you may owe or receive.
Wisconsin calculates child support under the Percentage of Income Standard guideline set out in Wis. Stat. § 767.511 and DCF 150. Wisconsin applies fixed percentages to the obligor's gross income, 17% for one child, 25% for two, 29% for three, 31% for four, and 34% for five or more, with separate calculations for shared placement, split placement, and serial-family situations. The court starts from the guideline amount, then considers statutory adjustments such as health insurance premiums for the children, work-related child care costs, extraordinary medical expenses, and credits for the time the obligor parent spends with the children. The result is presumed to be the correct amount of support; a judge can deviate up or down only when specific written findings show the guideline figure would be unjust or inappropriate. Either parent can ask the court for a deviation, but the burden is on the party requesting it to prove that the standard calculation does not fit the family's actual circumstances. Most contested cases turn on income disputes, daycare costs, and the parenting-time credit rather than on the underlying guideline math itself.
Yes. A Wisconsin child support order can be modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances after the order was entered. Wisconsin requires a substantial change in circumstances; orders enforced through the IV-D agency are also reviewed every 33 months. Common qualifying changes include a significant involuntary loss of income, a long-term increase in either parent's earnings, the addition or removal of a child from the order, a meaningful change in the parenting-time schedule, or a change in the cost of health insurance or work-related child care. Either parent can file a petition or motion to modify with the court that issued the original order, or in many counties through Wisconsin BCS's administrative review process. The new amount applies prospectively from the date the modification request is filed and served, courts generally cannot reduce arrears that accrued before that date, so it is important to file as soon as the change occurs.
Wisconsin child support generally ends at age 18 but extends to age 19 if the child is still pursuing a high school diploma or equivalency program. Continuing support is available for disabled adult children. Support does not automatically stop in every situation, even when a child reaches the statutory age, an order that covers multiple children usually requires recalculation rather than a flat reduction, because the per-child amount changes when the obligation is re-prorated for the remaining children. Parents who believe support should terminate or step down should not simply stop paying; they should file for a formal termination or modification with the issuing court or with Wisconsin BCS. Continuing to pay through the state disbursement unit until a court order changes the obligation is the safest way to avoid arrears. If a child becomes emancipated early, for example, by marriage or active-duty military service, the obligor can usually petition for early termination based on the emancipating event.
Wisconsin enforces through immediate income withholding, tax intercept, license suspension, lien filings, and contempt proceedings. Wisconsin BCS also has administrative tools that do not require returning to court, including income withholding orders sent directly to employers, interception of state and federal tax refunds, suspension of driver, professional, and recreational licenses, reporting of unpaid balances to the credit bureaus, and passport denial for arrears over the federal threshold. Liens can be placed on bank accounts, lottery winnings, and personal injury settlements. In serious cases the court can hold the non-paying parent in civil contempt, which can carry jail time until a purge amount is paid. Interest on unpaid support typically accrues by statute, so balances can grow quickly. The custodial parent does not have to hire a private attorney to start enforcement; Wisconsin BCS provides these services at no or minimal cost.
No. Wisconsin courts can impute earning capacity to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed based on prior earnings and qualifications. The court can also exclude income that is genuinely beyond a parent's control, for example, when a parent is disabled, is a primary caregiver for a young child or special-needs child, or is involuntarily unemployed and actively seeking work. Voluntary unemployment or underemployment is treated very differently. Documenting good-faith job-search efforts, medical limitations, or caregiving responsibilities is critical when income is in dispute, because the imputed figure the judge picks will drive the support number for the life of the order until it is modified.
No. This calculator produces an estimate based on publicly available Wisconsin guideline data and is provided for educational planning only. It is not legal advice, it does not account for every adjustment a court may apply, and it is not a substitute for the official worksheet that a Wisconsin court will use when entering an order. Real cases involve verified income documentation, proof of health insurance and child care costs, parenting-time credits calculated under the state's specific rules, and any deviation findings the judge makes on the record. Use the estimate to budget, to evaluate a settlement offer, or to decide whether to seek a modification, but always confirm the controlling number with the official Wisconsin guideline worksheet, your case file, or a licensed family law attorney before relying on it for any legal decision.