Alaska Child Support Guidelines
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated November 23, 2018
Parents have a legal obligation to care for their children, as made clear by state laws making it illegal to neglect or abandon your child. Similarly, parents must provide financial support for their children (assuming they have the means to do so). While virtually every state in the U.S. requires non-custodial parents to provide child support for their child, child support calculations are dependent on the guidelines of a particular state.
How Is Child Support Calculated in Alaska?
While there are statutes that apply to child support in Alaska, it's primarily calculated according to Civil Rule 90.3. Child support is calculated based on the parenting plan, which includes the parenting schedule as well as how decisions will be made about the child's health, education, and social issues. There are four basic parenting plans in Alaska:
- Primary Physical Custody: when a child lives with one parent more than 70% of the year.
- Shared Physical Custody: when a child lives with each parent at least 30% of the year.
- Divided Custody: when a parent has primary physical custody of one or more children of the relationship and the other parent has primary custody of one of more other children of the relationship and the parents don't have shared physical custody of any of the children.
- Hybrid Custody: when parents have primary physical custody of some children of the relationship and shared physical custody of the other children.
The court uses these categories to determine which child support formula applies to a particular case.
Alaska Child Support Guidelines: The Basics
Statutory language is rarely written in a clear and concise manner, which is why it's helpful to first read an overview of the law. In the following table, you can find an overview of child support guidelines in Alaska as well as links to relevant statutes.
| Statute(s) | Alaska Statutes, Title 25, Chapter 27. Section 25.27.010, et seq. (Child Support Services Agency) |
| Calculating Child Support | When one parent has primary custody, child support is calculated based on the non-custodial parent's earnings. However, if there's shared, divided, or hybrid custody, the income of both parents is used to calculate child support. |
| Defining Income for Child Support Calculations | The following is considered income for purposes of calculating child support:
One-time, lump sum payments and income from need-based public benefits programs are NOT considered income. Examples of such programs include:
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| Deviating from the Guidelines | The court is permitted to deviate from the usual child support formula if there are unusual circumstances present in a particular case that would make application of the formula unfair. Examples of unusual circumstances include:
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| Related Statute(s) | Alaska Statutes, Title 25:
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Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Alaska Child Support Guidelines: Related Resources
For additional information and resources related to this topic, please visit the links listed below.
Learn More About Alaska Child Support Guidelines From an Attorney
Child support obligations are taken seriously and failure to comply can have serious financial consequences. To learn more about child support guidelines in Alaska and how they apply to your particular situation, it's best to speak with a skilled child support attorney in your area.
Next Steps: Search for a Local Attorney
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