Montana Child Support Calculator | Guidelines

Montana Child Support Calculator | Guidelines

By Child-Support.com Staff – Last updated

The Montana Child Support Calculator is a worksheet developed by the Montana judiciary for use by the courts and the Child Support Enforcement Division.  A parent can also use it as a way to estimate how much they may be obligated to pay or receive in child support payments.  But it is just an estimate.  The actual order may be different due to different circumstances that may be taken into account.

How to Calculate

Step 1: Download the worksheet.

Download (PDF, 527KB)

Step 2: Enter the following information for each of the mother and the father:

  • wages, salaries, commissions
  • Self-Employment net earnings
  • Pensions, Social Security
  • Unearned Income
  • Imputed income
  • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

Step 3:  Add together to get total income for each parent

Step 4: Enter the following information regarding allowable deductions for each parent:

  • Ordered child support for other children
  • Allowance for other children
  • Ordered alimony/spousal support
  • Ordered health insurance premium for other children
  • Federal income tax
  • State income tax
  • Social Security (FICA plus Medicare)
  • Mandatory retirement contributions
  • Required employment expense

Step 4: To figure out income after deductions, subtract total allowable deductions from the total income for each parent.

Step 5: Enter the personal allowance from Table 1 for each parent

Download (PDF, 187KB)

Step 6:  To get income available for child support, subtract the personal allowance from the income after deductions for each parent.

Step 7: Compare each parent’s lines 5 & 6; enter higher number
Step 8: Combined income available (add both columns, line 7)
Step 9: Parental share of combined income (line 7 ÷ line 8)
Step 10: Enter number of children due support
Step 11: Enter primary child support allowance from Table 2
Step 12: Enter information about additional expenses to get a total

Step 13: Parent’s share of total (for each column, line 13 x line 9) Step 14: Compare line 15 to line 5; enter lower amount here

Step 15: Income available for SOLA (line 5 minus line 16; if zero,
enter zero and skip to line 21)

Step 16: Long distance parenting adjustment (Worksheet D)

Step 17: Adjusted income for SOLA [line 17 minus (18a + 18b)]

Step 18: SOLA amount (Worksheet E)  Add line 16 and line 20 to get Gross Annual Child Support (for each parent, compare
line 21 to line 6; enter the higher amount)

Step 19: Credit for payment of expenses (enter amount of line 12
expenses paid by each parent)

Step 20: Total Annual Child Support (line 22 minus line 23; if less
than zero, enter zero)