If you pay or receive child support in Michigan, 2025 brought changes that could directly affect your family’s finances. The Michigan Child Support Formula—the guidelines courts use to calculate support—was updated with new rules for medical expenses and childcare costs.

These aren’t minor technical adjustments. For many families, the changes mean it’s time to revisit existing support orders to see if they still reflect current circumstances. Whether you’re going through a divorce, modifying an existing order, or trying to understand what you owe or are owed, understanding these updates is essential.

At Boroja, Bernier & Associates, we help parents throughout Southeast Michigan navigate child support calculations, modifications, and enforcement. Here’s what the 2025 changes mean for you.

What Changed in the 2025 Michigan Child Support Formula

Michigan uses a formula-based approach to calculate child support. The formula considers both parents’ incomes, the number of overnights each parent has, and additional expenses like healthcare and childcare. The Michigan Child Support Formula is updated periodically, and the 2025 revision introduced two significant changes.

New Ordinary Medical Expense Threshold: $200 Per Child Per Year

Previously, the first $454 per child per year in ordinary medical expenses (co-pays, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications) was built into the base support amount. Parents only had to split costs above that threshold.

Starting in 2025, that threshold dropped to $200 per child per year. This means more out-of-pocket medical costs are now subject to sharing between parents.

Here’s what this looks like in practice: If your child has $600 in annual medical expenses, the old formula would have required sharing only $146 ($600 minus $454). Under the new formula, you’d share $400 ($600 minus $200). That’s a meaningful difference for families managing ongoing healthcare costs.

Childcare Expenses Extended to Age 13

The second major change involves childcare. Under previous guidelines, childcare expenses were typically factored into support calculations only while children were younger. The 2025 update extends childcare cost-sharing until the month a child turns 13.

This reflects the reality that many working parents need before- and after-school care, summer programs, and other supervision for children who aren’t yet old enough to stay home alone. If you’re paying for childcare for a 10-, 11-, or 12-year-old, those costs can now be included in support calculations.

How Michigan Child Support Is Calculated

Understanding the formula helps you anticipate what a court might order—or whether your current order is still accurate.

Michigan’s child support calculation starts with both parents’ net incomes. Net income includes wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, and other earnings, minus taxes and certain deductions. Self-employment income, rental income, and investment returns may also be considered.

From there, the formula factors in:

• Number of children. Support obligations increase with more children, though not in a simple linear fashion.

• Parenting time. The number of overnights each parent has affects the calculation. More overnights with the non-custodial parent generally reduces the support amount, since that parent is directly covering more of the child’s daily expenses.

• Healthcare costs. This includes health insurance premiums for the child and out-of-pocket medical expenses above the $200 threshold.

• Childcare expenses. Work-related childcare costs are added to the calculation and shared proportionally based on each parent’s income.

The formula produces a recommended support amount, which courts use as a starting point. Judges can deviate from the formula in unusual circumstances, but they must explain their reasoning.

Michigan offers an online child support calculator through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. While helpful for estimates, the calculator can’t account for every nuance of your situation. For accurate numbers, especially in complex cases, working with an attorney ensures nothing is overlooked.

When to Seek a Child Support Modification

A child support order isn’t permanent. Under Michigan law, either parent can request a modification when circumstances change significantly. The 2025 formula updates themselves may qualify as a reason to revisit your order.

Common reasons to seek a modification include:

• Income changes. If either parent experiences a substantial increase or decrease in income—due to job loss, promotion, career change, or retirement—the support amount may need adjustment.

• Changes in parenting time. If the custody arrangement has shifted and one parent now has significantly more or fewer overnights, support should reflect that change.

• Changes in childcare or medical expenses. The 2025 updates make this particularly relevant. If your current order doesn’t account for childcare costs through age 13 or uses the old $454 medical threshold, you may be entitled to a recalculation.

• A child’s changing needs. As children grow, their expenses change. A teenager’s costs for activities, transportation, and education may differ substantially from a toddler’s.

To modify support, you’ll typically file a motion with the court that issued the original order. The Friend of the Court office can also conduct reviews. You’ll need to provide documentation of the changed circumstances—pay stubs, tax returns, childcare receipts, medical bills, and parenting time records.

One important note: informal agreements between parents don’t modify a court order. If you and your co-parent agree to change the support amount, that agreement isn’t enforceable until a court approves it. Paying less than the ordered amount—even with the other parent’s verbal okay—can result in arrears and enforcement actions.

Enforcing a Child Support Order

When a parent falls behind on child support, Michigan has several enforcement tools available. The Friend of the Court plays a central role in monitoring payments and pursuing collection.

Enforcement options include:

• Income withholding. Most child support orders include automatic wage withholding, where payments are deducted directly from the paying parent’s paycheck.

• Tax refund interception. State and federal tax refunds can be seized to cover past-due support.

• License suspension. Michigan can suspend driver’s licenses, professional licenses, and recreational licenses for parents who fall significantly behind.

• Credit reporting. Unpaid child support is reported to credit bureaus, affecting the owing parent’s credit score.

• Contempt of court. In serious cases, a parent who willfully refuses to pay support can be held in contempt, which may result in fines or jail time.

If you’re owed support and payments have stopped or become inconsistent, don’t wait to take action. The longer arrears accumulate, the harder they become to collect. If you’re the paying parent and struggling to keep up due to changed circumstances, seeking a modification is far better than simply stopping payments.

Special Situations: High-Income Families and Shared Custody

Not every family fits neatly into the standard formula. Michigan courts handle special situations with flexibility.

High-income families. The child support formula has income thresholds. When combined parental income exceeds those thresholds, courts have more discretion in setting support. The goal remains meeting the child’s needs and maintaining their standard of living, but calculations become less formulaic.

Shared or equal parenting time. When parents split parenting time close to 50/50, the formula adjusts to account for both parents directly covering expenses during their time. However, even in true 50/50 arrangements, support may still be ordered if there’s a significant income disparity between parents.

Multiple families. If a parent has child support obligations to children from different relationships, the formula accounts for this to avoid leaving one family without adequate support.

Income imputation. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed—choosing not to work or taking a lower-paying job without good reason—the court may impute income. This means calculating support based on what the parent could earn, not what they actually earn.

These situations require careful analysis. What seems straightforward on paper often involves complications that affect the final support amount.

Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Child Support

How do I use the Michigan child support calculator?

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provides an online calculator. You’ll enter both parents’ incomes, the number of children, parenting time percentages, healthcare costs, and childcare expenses. The calculator produces an estimated support amount based on the current formula.

Can child support be paid directly to the other parent?

While parents sometimes prefer direct payments, Michigan typically requires payments to go through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit. This creates an official record that protects both parties. Direct payments made outside this system may not be credited toward your obligation.

What happens if my ex won’t pay child support?

Contact the Friend of the Court to report non-payment. They can initiate enforcement actions including wage withholding, tax intercepts, and license suspensions. For persistent non-payment, contempt proceedings may be appropriate.

Can I get retroactive child support in Michigan?

Retroactive support is possible in some situations, particularly when establishing paternity or when a parent hid income. However, modifications generally apply going forward from the date you file the motion—not backward. This is why acting promptly when circumstances change matters.

Does the 2025 formula change apply to existing orders?

Existing orders remain in effect until modified. However, the formula change may constitute grounds for requesting a review. If the new calculations would produce a significantly different amount, you may be able to seek a modification.

Take the Next Step: Review Your Child Support Order

The 2025 changes to Michigan’s child support formula affect thousands of families. If you’re paying or receiving support under an older order, now is the time to determine whether a modification makes sense.

At Boroja, Bernier & Associates, our family law attorneys help parents in Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, and throughout Southeast Michigan calculate, modify, and enforce child support orders. With our main office in Shelby Township and satellite offices in Troy, Ann Arbor, and Lansing, we make it easy to get experienced legal guidance close to home.

To schedule a consultation with the Michigan family law attorneys at Boroja, Bernier & Associates, call our law offices at (586) 991-7611. We’ll help you understand how the 2025 changes affect your family and what steps to take next.