Last updated: June 17, 2026
Important note before you start
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Child support can affect custody, public benefits, safety, taxes, health coverage, and court deadlines. For advice about your case, contact Alaska CSED, the Alaska Court System, Alaska Legal Services, or a qualified family law attorney.
Bottom line
In Alaska, child support is usually handled through 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 collect unpaid support.
Alaska courts use 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 plain background, ASMOM’s child support basics can help you understand terms before you call.
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.
- Domestic violence or sexual assault: use the Alaska CDVSA site for crisis lines and victim service information.
- Local victim services: use the ANDVSA directory to find confidential help in Alaska.
- Public assistance and fear: ask your caseworker about good cause before sharing details that could affect safety.
- Food, rent, utilities, or local help: call or search Alaska 2-1-1 while support is pending.
ASMOM’s domestic violence help guide has safety-aware next steps, but a local advocate is still the safer door for a personal plan.
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. Give as much information as you safely can about the other 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
Use 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 case | CSED Client Portal | The portal replaced myAlaska for child support services. |
| Estimate support | CSED calculator or court worksheets. | An estimate is not the same as an order. |
| File in court | Court support forms | The court needs income proof and the right custody schedule form. |
| Prove parentage | Paternity FAQ | Legal parentage is needed before support can be ordered. |
| Change an order | Modification FAQ | CSED and court orders use different paths. |
| Unpaid support | CSED enforcement services. | Collection can take time if the parent moves or changes jobs. |
How to apply for child support services in Alaska
CSED is the state child support agency. Its public site says 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, CSED says to call 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 when coverage is available.
You may 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 address child support in cases with children and needs financial information to calculate it.
Keep a simple folder
Save copies of your application, court papers, orders, letters from CSED, pay records, proof of health insurance, and messages about payments. ASMOM’s documents checklist can help you organize papers.
How Alaska calculates child support
Alaska child support is based on Civil Rule 90.3. The Alaska Court System’s DR-310 guide explains that support usually follows a math formula using parenting time, number of children, and parents’ income. 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 the other parent less than 30% of the year. Shared custody generally means each parent has the child at least 30%, but not more than 70%, of the year.
| Custody schedule | What it means | Form or help |
|---|---|---|
| Primary custody | One parent has the child most of the time. | DR-305 affidavit. |
| Shared custody | Each parent has the child at least 30% of the year. | DR-306 worksheet. |
| Divided custody | Each parent has primary custody of at least one child. | DR-307 worksheet. |
| Hybrid custody | Different children have different schedules. | DR-308 worksheet. |
Income can include wages, self-employment, unemployment based on past work, VA disability, SSDI, workers’ compensation, retirement income, rental income, the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, Alaska Native dividends, and other income. 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. The court guide also says the maximum adjusted annual income used in the basic calculation is $138,000. The court may consider more in some cases if the legal standard is met.
Do not rely on rough math
The percentage formula is only the starting point. Health insurance, child care, parenting time, seasonal income, prior support orders, missing income proof, and unusual facts can change the final order.
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, fishing, or seasonal work details you have.
| Bring or save | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Current support order | CSED and the court need to know what order already exists. |
| Birth certificate | Support usually needs legal parentage first. |
| Tax return and W-2 | These can help show yearly income. |
| Recent pay stubs | Pay stubs help show current income. |
| Health insurance proof | Health coverage can be part of the order. |
| Payment history | Proof matters if one parent says payments were made directly. |
| Parenting calendar | The number of overnights affects the worksheet. |
| Safety concerns | Tell an advocate or worker before sharing risky contact details. |
If parentage is not legally set
If the father or other legal parent is not established, CSED can help with parentage. CSED says the agency or a court can order genetic testing to see whether there is a genetic match between the father, mother, and child. The mother or legal guardian can also request the service.
Parentage can affect child support, health insurance, Social Security benefits, inheritance rights, Native corporation dividends, veterans benefits, custody, and visitation. Get legal help if the case is disputed, complicated, or unsafe.
If you were married when the child was conceived or born, Alaska law may treat the spouse as a legal parent even if someone else may be the biological parent. 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 payment materials say 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 normal way support is collected.
CSED’s wage withholding FAQ says Alaska’s usual withholding limit for child support is 40% of net income, or 50% if medical support is required. The amount can be higher in some cases but cannot exceed federal limits.
CSED may also use other enforcement tools for unpaid support, including intercepting money or assets when the law allows. Alaska’s PFD information page explains that the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend can be connected to child support collection.
If the other parent leaves Alaska, CSED may coordinate with another state. Out-of-state cases can take time. Give CSED updates about the other parent’s address, job, phone, property, or seasonal work when you have them.
Watch direct 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 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 it can review CSED administrative orders. If an Alaska court made the order, you need to contact the court.
Civil Rule 90.3 says a material change is presumed if the new support amount would be more than 15% higher or lower than the current order. It also says child support arrears usually cannot be changed retroactively, except in limited situations allowed by law. That means waiting can cost money.
Ask quickly if a job loss, disability, custody change, health coverage change, incarceration, or major income change affects the order. For court orders, use court forms or legal help. For CSED administrative orders, ask CSED what review process applies.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling CSED to start
“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 about unpaid support
“Hi, I have a support order and payments have stopped or are late. Can you review whether wage withholding is active and whether you need updated employer, address, phone, or PFD information from me?”
Calling the court
“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 a primary, shared, divided, or hybrid worksheet?”
Calling legal aid
“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 safer?”
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting to ask for a change. Modifications usually do not go back to the date your income changed.
- Using the wrong worksheet. Primary, shared, divided, and hybrid schedules use different calculations.
- Forgetting PFD income. The Alaska court guide lists the Permanent Fund Dividend as income for support calculations.
- Counting need-based benefits. The court guide says SSI, ATAP, TANF, and SNAP are not counted as income for support.
- Mixing support and visitation. Do not deny court-ordered parenting time because support is late. Ask legal aid or the court about safe options.
- Assuming CSED can change every order. CSED can review CSED administrative orders, but 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.
For Alaska-specific next steps, use ASMOM’s Alaska help guide, Alaska housing help, Alaska health care, Alaska child care, Alaska food help, and Alaska utility help.
For general next steps, ASMOM’s Community Action help, local resource guide, and benefits problem guide may help you build a backup plan.
Helpful Alaska and federal resources
- CSED FAQ hub – official FAQs for calculations, parentage, PFD, medical support, licensing, and more.
- Form DR-305 – Child Support Guidelines Affidavit.
- Wage withholding FAQ – employer withholding rules and limits.
- IRS child support – federal tax treatment of child support.
- Federal child support – parent resources from the Office of Child Support Services.
Resumen en espanol
En Alaska, la manutencion 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 geneticas cuando sea necesario y cobrar pagos atrasados.
Si hay violencia domestica o miedo por su seguridad, busque ayuda segura antes de dar informacion sobre el otro padre. Llame al 911 si hay peligro inmediato. Tambien puede buscar ayuda local de violencia domestica o ayuda legal.
Esta guia es informacion general. Para su caso, hable con CSED, la corte, ayuda legal o un abogado.
FAQ
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 June 17, 2026, next review September 17, 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.