Child Support

ATTENTION! Cost of Living Adjustments 2023

Minnesota law requires a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) be applied to basic child support and spousal maintenance obligations every two years.   For those cases that are administered by the county child support agency, and are subject to COLA for this year, notice to the parties will print and be mailed starting March 27, 2023.   The amount of this year’s increase for most obligations is 13.6% or greater. The amount is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index, which takes into consideration inflation. The new support amounts will go into effect on 5/1/2023.  

If you wish to contest the COLA, instructions and forms can be found on the state courts website below.  Please note that you will need a copy of the notice that you received in the mail to file with your motion.  If you do not receive your notice, you may contact your child support officer for a copy.

Every child needs financial and emotional support and every child has the right to support from both parents. Minnesota's child support program benefits children by enforcing parental responsibility for their support.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Forms

About the Program

The Child Support Enforcement Division supervises the child support program. County child support offices administer it by working with parents to establish and enforce support orders. The child support program helps:

  • Children receive the following financial support:
    • Basic Support
      Basic support is for expenses relating to the child's care, housing, food, clothing, and transportation. The amount is determined by applying the parent's combined parental income for determining child support (PICS) and the number of joint children to the basic support guidelines table. The basic support obligation does not include payment toward arrears.
    • Medical Support
      Medical support is the providing of health care coverage for a joint child by carrying health care coverage for the joint child or by contributing to the cost of health care coverage, public coverage, unreimbursed medical expenses, and uninsured medical expenses of the joint child.
    • Child Care Support
      Child care support is contributing to the cost of work or education related child care costs.
  • Families work toward becoming and remaining self-sufficient
  • Parents establish a financial partnership

Sherburne County Health and Human Services offers State and Federally mandated child support and collection services, designed to assure that children receive financial support from absent parents.

Support & Collection

Support and collection services provided are available to you if you have a minor child in your household who is financially dependent on you and has a parent who is absent from the home, and include:

  • Location of absent parents
  • Establishment of paternity
  • Establishment and modification of support orders
  • Enforcement of support orders

Learn More

To learn more about the services provided or for information on how to apply for child support services, please call 763-765-4000 or apply online.  Please note that if you are currently living with the other parent, we will not be able to help you.  Also, if you have an order for support already, your case will need to be (re)opened in the county that issued the order even if you no longer live in that county.

Child Support Payments

To make an online child support payment, please register and follow instructions here. Child Support payments cannot be made by credit or debit card. For other payment options, click here.

How to Use MCSO

Click here for more information on how to use Minnesota Child Support Online (MCSO), menu options, and troubleshooting help.