Last updated: May 20, 2026
Important note before you start
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Child support can affect custody, public benefits, safety, taxes, and court deadlines. For advice about your case, contact the Alaska Child Support Enforcement Division, the Alaska Court System, or a qualified legal aid or family law attorney.
Bottom line
In Alaska, child support is usually handled through the Alaska CSED or through the Alaska Court System. CSED can help establish support, collect payments, locate a parent, arrange genetic testing when parentage is disputed, enforce health coverage, and enforce unpaid support. The court must also address child support in custody, divorce, dissolution, and legal separation cases with children.
Alaska uses Civil Rule 90.3 to calculate support. In a primary custody case, the basic formula starts with the paying parent’s adjusted annual income. The percentage is 20% for one child, 27% for two children, 33% for three children, and 3% more for each additional child. Shared, divided, and hybrid custody use different worksheets.
For broader help, start with child support basics, Alaska legal help, and the Alaska help guide.
Urgent help if support is tied to safety, shelter, or benefits
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If child support contact could make you or your child less safe, do not use this article as a safety plan. Contact a local advocate first. Alaska’s Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault lists 24/7 crisis help, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
You can also use the ANDVSA directory to find local Alaska victim services. The directory says services are confidential, free, and voluntary for victims and survivors. For more safety-focused help, see ASMOM’s domestic violence help.
If you receive public assistance and are scared to name the other parent, ask your caseworker about “good cause” before sharing details that may affect safety.
Where to start
Your first step depends on what you already have. A private promise is not the same as an enforceable order. If you need wage withholding, help finding the other parent, or help collecting unpaid support, you usually need a CSED case or a court order.
You do not have an order
Apply for CSED services or file in the court case that fits your situation. CSED says you should provide as much information as you can about the noncustodial parent.
You have a court order
CSED may enforce a court order if you apply for services. If you need the court order changed, the court usually must make that change.
You have a CSED order
If CSED issued an administrative order, CSED can review it to see whether the amount should go up or down.
You need legal help
Contact the Family Law Self-Help Center or Alaska Legal Services if the case involves custody, safety, court forms, or disputed facts.
Quick reference: Alaska child support starting points
| Need | Best starting point | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Open a child support case | CSED Client Portal or CSED customer service | The portal now replaces myAlaska for child support services. |
| Estimate support | CSED calculator through the client portal or court worksheets | An estimate is not the same as an order. |
| File in a court case | Court support forms | The court needs income proof and the right custody schedule form. |
| Prove parentage | CSED paternity FAQ | Parentage must be legally established before support can be ordered. |
| Change an order | CSED modification FAQ or court forms | CSED can modify CSED administrative orders, not Alaska court orders. |
| Unpaid support | CSED enforcement services | Collection can still take time, especially if the parent moves or changes jobs. |
How to apply for child support services in Alaska
CSED is the state child support agency. Its main job is to collect and disburse child support payments. CSED’s public site says its new system is live and that myAlaska is no longer used for child support services. New and existing members use the CSED Client Portal. If you do not have the identification numbers needed to start, call CSED customer service at 907-269-6900.
CSED can do several things that are hard to do alone. It can establish and enforce an administrative support order when there is no court order, enforce a court support order if you apply for services, arrange genetic testing when parentage is not agreed, locate absent parents, and enforce children’s health care coverage if it is available through the paying parent’s job or union.
You can also deal with support through court if you have a custody, divorce, dissolution, legal separation, domestic violence protective order, or other family law case. The court must issue a support order in cases with children and needs financial information to calculate it.
Tip: keep a simple case folder
Save copies of your application, court papers, orders, letters from CSED, pay records, proof of health insurance, and any messages about payments. A simple folder helps when a worker asks for proof later. ASMOM’s documents checklist can help you organize paperwork for support and benefits.
How Alaska calculates child support
Alaska child support is based on Civil Rule 90.3. The court’s DR-310 guide explains that support usually follows a math formula using parenting time, number of children, and parents’ income. The same guide says deviations from the formula are uncommon and allowed only when legal standards apply.
For primary physical custody, the calculation usually starts with the noncustodial parent’s adjusted annual income. Primary custody generally means the child lives with one parent at least 70% of the time. The Alaska Court System describes the primary schedule as one parent having 256 or more overnights each year and the other parent having fewer than 110 overnights.
| Custody schedule | What it means for calculation | Forms or help |
|---|---|---|
| Primary custody | One parent has the child most of the time. Support usually uses the noncustodial parent’s adjusted income. | DR-305 and primary schedule guidance |
| Shared custody | Each parent has the child at least 30% of the year. Alaska uses a shared formula. | DR-306 shared worksheet |
| Divided custody | Each parent has primary custody of at least one child. | DR-307 divided worksheet |
| Hybrid custody | Different children have different schedules. | DR-308 hybrid worksheet |
Income can include wages, self-employment, bonuses, commissions, unemployment based on past work, VA disability, SSDI, workers’ compensation, retirement income, interest, rental income, the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, Alaska Native dividends, and other dividends. Need-based public benefits such as SSI, ATAP, TANF, and SNAP are not counted as income for child support purposes under the court guide.
Alaska has a minimum support amount of $50 per month, or $600 per year, except in limited situations under the rule. Rule 90.3 also says the main formula does not apply to adjusted annual income over $138,000 unless an added amount is just and proper based on the child’s needs, standard of living, and the parent’s ability to pay.
Do not rely on rough online math alone
The percentage formula is only the starting point. Health insurance, child care, parenting time, seasonal income, prior support orders, missing income proof, and unusual circumstances can change the final order. Use official worksheets and ask CSED, the court self-help center, or a lawyer when the facts are not simple.
Documents and information to gather
You do not need perfect information to ask for help, but better details can make the case easier to process. If you do not know where the other parent works, give any last known job, phone, address, relatives, vehicles, union, military, or fishing details you have.
| Bring or save | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Current support or custody order | CSED and the court need to know what order already exists. |
| Birth certificate or parentage papers | Support usually needs legal parentage first. |
| Recent tax return and W-2 | The court guide says these are part of basic income proof. |
| Three recent pay stubs | Pay stubs help show current income. |
| Proof of health insurance costs | Health coverage can be part of the order. |
| Payment history | Proof matters if one parent says payments were made directly. |
| Parenting time calendar | The number of overnights affects the support schedule. |
| Safety concerns | Tell the right worker or advocate before sharing risky contact details. |
If parentage is not legally set
If the father is not legally established, CSED can help with parentage. CSED says either parent or a legal custodian may apply for services. If the father will not sign a voluntary affidavit, the agency may order DNA testing. The agency also says parentage can be established at any time during the child’s life.
Parentage can affect health insurance, Social Security benefits, inheritance rights, Native corporation dividends, veterans benefits, custody, and visitation. Get legal help if the case is disputed or unsafe.
If you were married when the child was conceived or born, Alaska may treat your husband as the legal father even if he is not the biological father. Ask CSED, the court self-help center, or legal aid before filing forms.
Payments, unpaid support, and enforcement
Most child support collections come from employer wage withholding. CSED’s payment guide says a withholding order is sent to the employer, and the employer withholds wages each pay period. Wage withholding is not meant to punish the paying parent. It is the standard way support is collected.
CSED may also use other enforcement tools for unpaid support. Court form DR-316 says CSED can issue orders to withhold and deliver assets such as commissions, retirement checks, bank accounts, Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends, Native corporation dividends, IRS tax refunds, stock dividends, and income-producing property. It can also file liens, revoke state occupational and driver’s licenses, and sue in court for failure to pay support.
Alaska’s PFD information page says the Permanent Fund Corporation will only honor withholding orders from Alaska CSED.
If the other parent leaves Alaska, CSED may coordinate with another state. Out-of-state cases can take time, and CSED may need updates about the other parent’s address, job, or property.
Watch out for direct cash payments
Direct payments can create disputes later. If a payment is not processed through CSED, keep proof. Use money orders, bank records, receipts, or written confirmations. Do not rely on memory or text messages alone.
Changing a child support order
A child support order does not usually change just because income, custody, or expenses changed. You must ask the right place for a modification. CSED says Alaska administrative orders are completed by CSED, so CSED can review a modification request for those orders. If an Alaska court made the order, only the court can change it.
CSED lists examples of changes that may qualify for review, including an income change that would affect the monthly charge by 15%, a physical custody change, a three-year review, a need to add medical coverage, or extending support while a child is 18 and still living with a parent or guardian while pursuing a high school diploma or equivalent.
Do not wait if the change matters. CSED says state and federal law do not allow support to be changed for time periods that already passed. For CSED administrative modifications, the effective date is tied to the first day of the month after CSED sends both parents notice of the scheduled modification.
If you are also dealing with benefits problems, use ASMOM’s guide on delayed benefits. If money is short while a support case is pending, review emergency bill help, rent help, and SNAP food help.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling CSED to start a case
“Hi, I need to open a child support case in Alaska. I do not have an order yet. Can you tell me whether I should apply through the CSED Client Portal, what documents I need, and how to get help if I do not have all the other parent’s information?”
Calling CSED about unpaid support
“Hi, I have a support order and payments have stopped or are late. Can you review what enforcement options may apply, whether wage withholding is active, and whether you need updated employer, address, or PFD information from me?”
Calling the court self-help center
“Hi, I have an Alaska court order and I need to ask about changing child support. Can you point me to the correct forms and explain whether I need DR-305 plus a shared, divided, or hybrid custody worksheet?”
Calling legal aid or an advocate
“Hi, I need help with child support, but there are safety or custody concerns. Before I file anything, can someone help me understand my options and whether there are steps to keep my address or location safer?”
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting too long to ask for a change. Modifications usually do not go backward to the date your income changed.
- Using the wrong custody schedule. Primary, shared, divided, and hybrid schedules use different calculations.
- Forgetting PFD or Native dividend income. The Alaska court guide lists these as income for support calculations.
- Counting need-based benefits as income. The court guide says SSI, ATAP, TANF, and SNAP are not counted as income for support purposes.
- Mixing child support and visitation. Do not deny court-ordered parenting time because support is late. Ask legal aid or the court about your options.
- Assuming CSED can change every order. CSED can review CSED administrative orders, but Alaska court orders must go back to court.
Backup help while child support is pending
Child support can be important, but it may not arrive quickly. If you need food, housing, medical care, child care, or utility help while a case is pending, use other help at the same time. Start with Alaska 2-1-1 for local referrals.
On ASMOM, see local resource help, Community Action help, Alaska housing help, Alaska health care, and Alaska child care. These are separate from child support and may have their own rules.
Helpful Alaska and federal resources
- Alaska CSED — main child support site and portal starting point.
- CSED FAQ hub — official FAQs for calculations, paternity, PFD, medical support, licensing, and more.
- Court support forms — court forms and explanations for different parenting time schedules.
- Form DR-305 — Child Support Guidelines Affidavit.
- Wage withholding FAQ — employer withholding rules and timelines.
- IRS child support — child support is not taxable to the recipient and not deductible by the payer.
- Federal child support — parent resources from the Office of Child Support Services.
- Alaska CDVSA — crisis lines and victim services information.
Resumen en español
En Alaska, la manutención de hijos se puede manejar por CSED o por la corte. CSED puede ayudar a establecer una orden, cobrar pagos, localizar al otro padre, hacer pruebas genéticas cuando sea necesario y cobrar pagos atrasados.
Si hay violencia doméstica o miedo por su seguridad, busque ayuda segura antes de dar información sobre el otro padre. Llame al 911 si hay peligro inmediato. También puede llamar a la Línea Nacional de Violencia Doméstica al 1-800-799-7233.
Esta guía es información general. Para su caso, hable con CSED, la corte, ayuda legal o un abogado.
FAQ about child support in Alaska
How do I start child support in Alaska?
You can apply through Alaska CSED or address support in a court case such as custody, divorce, dissolution, or legal separation. If you already have a court order, CSED may be able to enforce it if you apply for services.
How much is child support in Alaska?
For primary custody, Alaska usually starts with the paying parent’s adjusted annual income. The basic percentage is 20% for one child, 27% for two children, 33% for three children, and 3% more for each additional child. Shared, divided, and hybrid custody use different calculations.
Does Alaska count the PFD as income?
Yes. The Alaska court guide lists the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend and Alaska Native dividends as income for child support calculations. Need-based benefits such as SSI, ATAP, TANF, and SNAP are not counted as income for child support purposes.
Can CSED help if the other parent lives outside Alaska?
Yes. CSED can work with another state when the other parent lives outside Alaska, but out-of-state cases can take longer. Give CSED updated job, address, phone, and property information when you have it.
Can I change my child support order?
Maybe. If CSED made an administrative order, CSED can review a modification request. If an Alaska court made the order, only the court can change it. Ask quickly because changes usually cannot go back to cover past months.
Is child support taxable income?
No. The IRS says child support payments are not taxable to the recipient and are not deductible by the payer.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.