How it works · official guideline
How child support is calculated in Mississippi
Mississippi presumes child support equals a fixed percentage of the paying (absent) parent’s monthly adjusted gross income — gross income minus taxes, Social Security, mandatory retirement and disability contributions and existing support orders — set by the number of children. A court may depart only with a written or on-record finding that the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate.[1]
Key facts: child support in Mississippi
| Guideline model | Percentage of income[1] |
|---|---|
| Percentages | 14% for 1 child, 20% for 2, 22% for 3, 24% for 4, 26% for 5 or more[1] |
| Income counted | Adjusted gross income: gross income minus taxes, Social Security, mandatory retirement/disability, existing support orders[1] |
| Top of the guidelines | Written finding required if adjusted gross income is over $100,000 or under $10,000[1] |
| Guideline last checked | October 26, 2026 |
Mississippi’s model
Percentage of income
Fixed percentage of the absent (paying) parent’s monthly adjusted gross income: 14% / 20% / 22% / 24% / 26%.
No official calculator confirmed yet
Child Support (Mississippi Department of Human Services)The state child support agency or your court clerk can run the official numbers.
Why no calculator here? We publish a calculator only after it reproduces the state’s official numbers exactly. We haven’t matched Mississippi’s yet.
From the official text
The rules behind Mississippi’s numbers
The guideline is Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101, as reproduced in 'Mississippi Child Support Guidelines'. Open each rule to read the exact words.
- Percentages
14% for 1 child, 20% for 2, 22% for 3, 24% for 4, 26% for 5 or more
The presumptive award is 14% of the paying parent’s adjusted gross income for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four and 26% for five or more.[1]
Official text · Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101(1)
“Number Of Children Percentage Of Adjusted Gross Income Due Support That Should Be Awarded For Support 1 14% 2 20% 3 22% 4 24% 5 or more 26%”
- Income counted
Adjusted gross income: gross income minus taxes, Social Security, mandatory retirement/disability, existing support orders
Start with the absent parent’s gross income from all sources, subtract federal, state and local taxes, Social Security and mandatory retirement and disability contributions, subtract court-ordered support for other children (and optionally an amount for other children at home), then divide the annual figure by 12.[1]
Official text · Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101(3)
“(b) Subtract the following legally mandated deductions: (i) Federal, state and local taxes. Contributions to the payment of taxes over and beyond the actual liability for the taxable year shall not be considered a mandatory deduction; (ii) Social security contributions; (iii) Retirement and disability contributions except any voluntary retirement and disability contributions;”
- Top of the guidelines
Written finding required if adjusted gross income is over $100,000 or under $10,000
When adjusted gross income is more than $100,000 or less than $10,000, the court must state in writing whether applying the percentages is reasonable.[1]
Official text · Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101(4)
“In cases in which the adjusted gross income as defined in this section is more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) or less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), the court shall make a written finding in the record as to whether or not the application of the guidelines established in this section is reasonable.”
- Shared parenting time
No fixed threshold; shared arrangement is a deviation factor
There is no set shared-custody formula; a parenting arrangement in which the noncustodial parent spends a great deal of time with the children is one of the listed grounds for departing from the guideline.[1]
Official text · Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-103(g)
“The particular shared parental arrangement, such as where the noncustodial parent spends a great deal of time with the children thereby reducing the financial expenditures incurred by the custodial parent,”
- Review cycle
MDHS reviews the guidelines every four years
The Department of Human Services reviews the guidelines every four years and reports to the Legislature, which amends them when needed.[1]
Official text · Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101(5)
“The Department of Human Services shall review the appropriateness of these guidelines beginning January 1, 1994, and every four (4) years thereafter and report its findings to the Legislature”
Guideline: Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101, as reproduced in 'Mississippi Child Support Guidelines' (Mississippi Department of Human Services), checked October 26, 2026.
Estimate and general information only — not legal advice. MediationList is a directory, not a law firm, and doesn’t endorse any mediator. Guidelines change; confirm with the state child support agency or your court (sources checked October 26, 2026). See also divorce laws in Mississippi and child support in every state.
Sources
Mississippi’s child support guideline, rules and official tools, read on the official sites, with the date we checked each.