Mississippi Child Support Calculator (2026)
Mississippi’s child‑support guidelines, codified in Miss. Code § 43‑19‑101, calculate support as a set percentage of the paying parent’s adjusted gross income, with a presumption that the guideline is correct for annual incomes between $10,000 and $100,000.
Reviewed 2026-09-02 · Estimates only — not legal or financial advice.
How Mississippi calculates it
- Determine the paying parent’s monthly adjusted gross income (AGI) after subtracting taxes, Social Security and mandatory retirement contributions.
- Count the number of children the support is for.
- Apply the statutory percentage based on the child count: 1 child 14%, 2 children 20%, 3 children 22%, 4 children 24%, 5 or more children 26%.
- Multiply that percentage by the monthly AGI to arrive at the guideline support amount.
- If the annual AGI is below $10,000 or above $100,000, the court must make written findings before deviating from the guideline.
Worked example
Paying parent with $4,500/month AGI income and 2 children: 20% × $4,500 = $900/month guideline support.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of my income is used for child support if I have three children in Mississippi?
The guideline applies a 22% rate to the paying parent’s monthly adjusted gross income for three children.
Do the percentages apply to my gross salary before taxes?
No. The percentages are applied to adjusted gross income, which is gross income minus taxes, Social Security and mandatory retirement contributions.
What happens if my annual adjusted gross income is outside the $10,000‑$100,000 range?
The guideline is only presumptively correct within that range; outside it, the court must make written findings before setting or deviating from the support amount.
How is child support calculated for families with five or more children?
For five or more children, the guideline uses a 26% rate of the paying parent’s monthly adjusted gross income.
Can a Mississippi court deviate from the guideline amount?
Yes, the court may deviate if it makes written findings, especially when the parent’s income falls outside the $10,000‑$100,000 annual range.
Is the calculation different in Jackson, Gulfport or Southaven?
No. Miss. Code § 43-19-101 sets one statewide guideline, so a case in Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven uses the same percentages as anywhere else in Mississippi. Judges everywhere in the state may deviate only with written findings.