Child support in Alaska
Alaska figures child support as a percentage of the paying parent's income: 20% for 1 child, 27% for 2 and 33% for 3. To open a case, contact the Alaska Department of Revenue, Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) at (907) 269-6900.
- 1 child20%
- 2 children27%
- 3 children33%
- 4 children36%
- 5 children39%
Percent of income by number of children.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
Estimate child support in Alaska
Enter the income and the number of children. We apply Alaska's guideline percentage. It is a starting point, not the amount a court or agency will order.
Open a child support case in Alaska
- Phone
- (907) 269-6900; toll-free (800) 478-3300
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
Apply to CSED through its Client Portal. CSED can set up an administrative support order if there is no court order, or enforce a court order. Families on TANF or with children in state custody get services automatically. You can also ask the court for support in a divorce, custody or paternity case; each parent files a Child Support Guidelines Affidavit (DR-305).
Source: one application per case
- Yearly fee
$35 a year on cases where the family never received cash assistance, once the custodial parent has received $550 in the federal fiscal year (October-September). In Alaska the fee is charged to the custodial parent and taken from a support payment; the paying parent still gets full credit.
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Parents can sign a paternity affidavit at the hospital or birthing center, or get the form from Alaska Health Analytics & Vital Records. If the father is not sure, CSED or a court can order genetic (cheek-swab) testing; when CSED orders the test, the State pays first and the man found to be the father may be asked to repay.
Alaska child support by topic
How support is calculated in Alaska
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in Alaska
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in Alaska
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in Alaska
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in Alaska
- Model
- Percentage of income
- How it works
When one parent has the children at least 70% of the year, the other parent pays a fixed percentage of his or her adjusted annual income (income after taxes and other mandatory deductions). Shared, divided and hybrid custody use both parents' incomes and separate court forms.
- Percentages
1 child 20%, 2 children 27%, 3 children 33%, plus 3% for each additional child (primary custody). The percentages apply to adjusted income up to $138,000 a year; above that the court may add more if just and proper.
- Low income
Minimum order is $50 a month ($600 a year), with some exceptions. If your total annual income is $30,000 or less, your adjusted income is the lower of the normal calculation or your total income minus $7,500.
Law: Civil Rule 90.3(a)(5), (c)(3)
- Official calculator
- Official Alaska child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
Every order must include medical support. Health insurance is required if either parent can get it at a reasonable cost; Indian Health Service eligibility is considered. Insurance costs and uncovered health expenses are split equally unless there is good cause, and a parent must repay the other's share within 30 days of getting the bill.
Law: AS 25.27.060(c)
Law: Alaska R. Civ. P. 90.3 (last amended by SCO 2004, effective October 16, 2023)
Change a child support order in Alaska
- When a change is allowed
A material change of circumstances is presumed if support figured under Rule 90.3 today is more than 15% higher or lower than the current order. A change in custody that changes the formula also counts. An order not changed in the last 3 years can be reviewed without showing a change. Past-due support cannot be changed retroactively; a new amount starts only after the motion or CSED notice is served.
- How to ask
Court orders: file a Motion to Modify in court (filing fee $75, or ask for a fee waiver; free if both parents agree and file an uncontested motion). Administrative orders made by CSED: ask CSED by phone, email or letter and send your last two tax returns, W-2s, three months of pay stubs and proof of health insurance. CSED does not change court orders.
Law: Alaska R. Civ. P. 90.3(h); AS 25.24.170(b)
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in Alaska
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding from wages, unemployment and other benefits
- Taking all or part of the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)
- Federal tax refund offset
- Liens on property and bank accounts
- Driver's and occupational license action
- Credit bureau reporting
- License suspension
CSED says a case qualifies for license action when arrears reach four times the monthly support amount, or $1,000 or more with no payment in 60 days. By statute, you are on the list if you owe more than four times your monthly support. You first get a 60-day notice; a driver's license is then suspended after a 150-day notice unless you get a release, for example by signing a payment agreement.
Law: AS 25.27.244, 25.27.246
- Interest on unpaid support
Interest on past-due support is charged at 6% a year (or a lower federal maximum), after notice, when payments are 10 or more days late. No interest is charged on a late current payment if support is being withheld from your wages, unemployment or workers' compensation.
Law: AS 25.27.020(a)(2)(B), 25.27.025
Law: AS 25.27.020, 25.27.244, 25.27.246
When child support ends in Alaska
- Support ends
18, or until 19 if the child is unmarried, still working on a high school diploma (or equivalent), and living as a dependent with a parent or guardian
Law: AS 25.24.170(a)
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in Alaska
- Family Law Self-Help Center helpline (Alaska Court System) · (907) 264-0851
- Alaska Legal Services Corporation
- Find free legal help at LawHelp.org
Official self-help
Free letters and checklist
Ask the agency to review (change) your order
A letter to the child support agency asking for a review and adjustment.
Ask the agency to collect unpaid support
A letter asking the agency to enforce the order and collect what is past due.
Checklist: what to bring to open a case
IDs, birth certificates, the other parent's details and your papers, with Alaska's agency contact.
Good to know in Alaska
- CSED can take an Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend to pay past-due support (CSED FAQ).
- In 2026 CSED moved to a new online system; myAlaska is no longer used, and parents must create a profile in the new Client Portal (CSED).
- Paying parents who owe arrears to the State may qualify for an arrears forgiveness program of up to 20% a year (AS 25.27.020).
Changes in 2024–2026
Rule 90.3 was last amended by Supreme Court Order 2004, effective October 16, 2023. In 2026 the agency, now called the Child Support Enforcement Division (formerly Child Support Services Division), launched new client, employer, tribal and verification portals.
Federal rules in every state
- Applying. If you don't get TANF, Medicaid or foster care help, a state may charge an application fee of up to $25 to open a child support case. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(i)
- Yearly fee. If you never got TANF and the agency collected at least $550 for you in a year, the state charges a $35 yearly fee. It can come out of your support, but never out of the first $550. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(ii)
- Review every 3 years. If your case is with the child support agency, either parent can ask it to review the order every 3 years and adjust it to the guidelines. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(10)(A); 45 CFR 303.8
- Past-due support. Each unpaid payment becomes a judgment on the day it is due. It can't be lowered later, except back to the date the other parent got notice of a request to change the order. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)
- Tax refunds. The federal government can take a federal tax refund to pay past-due child support. Law: 42 U.S.C. 664
- Passports. A parent who owes more than $2,500 in past-due support can be refused a passport. Law: 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
- Pay withholding limit. For support, up to 50% of take-home pay can be withheld if the parent supports another spouse or child, or 60% if not. It is 55% or 65% when support is more than 12 weeks behind. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
- How long support lasts. How long support lasts follows the law of the state that made the order, even if you move. Law: 28 U.S.C. 1738B(h)(2)
Questions about child support in Alaska
How is child support calculated in Alaska?
When one parent has the children at least 70% of the year, the other parent pays a fixed percentage of his or her adjusted annual income (income after taxes and other mandatory deductions). Shared, divided and hybrid custody use both parents' incomes and separate court forms.
What percentage of income is child support in Alaska?
1 child 20%, 2 children 27%, 3 children 33%, plus 3% for each additional child (primary custody). The percentages apply to adjusted income up to $138,000 a year; above that the court may add more if just and proper.
Is there an official child support calculator for Alaska?
What if the paying parent has a low income in Alaska?
Minimum order is $50 a month ($600 a year), with some exceptions. If your total annual income is $30,000 or less, your adjusted income is the lower of the normal calculation or your total income minus $7,500.
How do I apply for child support in Alaska?
Apply to CSED through its Client Portal. CSED can set up an administrative support order if there is no court order, or enforce a court order. Families on TANF or with children in state custody get services automatically. You can also ask the court for support in a divorce, custody or paternity case; each parent files a Child Support Guidelines Affidavit (DR-305).
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Alaska?
$35 a year on cases where the family never received cash assistance, once the custodial parent has received $550 in the federal fiscal year (October-September). In Alaska the fee is charged to the custodial parent and taken from a support payment; the paying parent still gets full credit.
When can child support be changed in Alaska?
A material change of circumstances is presumed if support figured under Rule 90.3 today is more than 15% higher or lower than the current order. A change in custody that changes the formula also counts. An order not changed in the last 3 years can be reviewed without showing a change. Past-due support cannot be changed retroactively; a new amount starts only after the motion or CSED notice is served.
How do I ask to change child support in Alaska?
Court orders: file a Motion to Modify in court (filing fee $75, or ask for a fee waiver; free if both parents agree and file an uncontested motion). Administrative orders made by CSED: ask CSED by phone, email or letter and send your last two tax returns, W-2s, three months of pay stubs and proof of health insurance. CSED does not change court orders.
What happens if child support is not paid in Alaska?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding from wages, unemployment and other benefits; Taking all or part of the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD); Federal tax refund offset; Liens on property and bank accounts; Driver's and occupational license action; Credit bureau reporting.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in Alaska?
CSED says a case qualifies for license action when arrears reach four times the monthly support amount, or $1,000 or more with no payment in 60 days. By statute, you are on the list if you owe more than four times your monthly support. You first get a 60-day notice; a driver's license is then suspended after a 150-day notice unless you get a release, for example by signing a payment agreement.
Is there interest on unpaid child support in Alaska?
Interest on past-due support is charged at 6% a year (or a lower federal maximum), after notice, when payments are 10 or more days late. No interest is charged on a late current payment if support is being withheld from your wages, unemployment or workers' compensation.
When does child support end in Alaska?
18, or until 19 if the child is unmarried, still working on a high school diploma (or equivalent), and living as a dependent with a parent or guardian
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Alaska?
18, or until 19 if the child is unmarried, still working on a high school diploma (or equivalent), and living as a dependent with a parent or guardian
How is paternity established in Alaska?
Parents can sign a paternity affidavit at the hospital or birthing center, or get the form from Alaska Health Analytics & Vital Records. If the father is not sure, CSED or a court can order genetic (cheek-swab) testing; when CSED orders the test, the State pays first and the man found to be the father may be asked to repay.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in Alaska?
Every order must include medical support. Health insurance is required if either parent can get it at a reasonable cost; Indian Health Service eligibility is considered. Insurance costs and uncovered health expenses are split equally unless there is good cause, and a parent must repay the other's share within 30 days of getting the bill.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- Alaska Civil Rule 90.3 (in Rules of Civil Procedure)
- CSED home
- CSED Annual Fee Information
- CSED Establishment and Calculating Child Support FAQ
- CSED Modifications FAQ
- CSED Licensing FAQ
- CSED Paternity Establishment FAQ
- CSED Enforcement Services FAQ
- Alaska Court System Self-Help: Child Support
- Alaska Court System Self-Help: Change Child Custody or Support
- AS 25.27.025 Rate of interest
- AS 25.27.020 Agency powers and duties
- AS 25.24.170 Modification of judgment
- AS 25.27.060 Duty of support
Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.
- State plan requirements: application fee, annual fee, safeguards, 42 U.S.C. 654
- Required state laws: arrears as judgments, review every 3 years, UIFSA, 42 U.S.C. 666
- Federal tax refund offset, 42 U.S.C. 664
- Passport denial for child support arrears, 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
- Garnishment limits for support orders, 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
- Full faith and credit for child support orders, 28 U.S.C. 1738B
- Office of Child Support Enforcement (federal)