Top 20 FAQ's on Wyoming Child Support Calculator

Wyoming Child Support Calculator: If you’re a parent navigating divorce, separation, or just trying to get clarity about financial responsibilities, one of the first things you’ll likely ask is: “How much child support do I have to pay (or will I receive)?”

That’s where the Wyoming Child Support Calculator comes into play.

As a family law professional might explain to a client during a consultation, understanding how Wyoming calculates child support is crucial to protecting your rights and your child’s best interests. In this detailed blog post, we’ll break down the 20 most common questions clients ask about the Wyoming child support system—updated for 2025 laws, and written in a clear, friendly, and informative tone.

1. What Is the Wyoming Child Support Calculator?

The Wyoming Child Support Calculator is an online tool designed to estimate the amount of monthly child support a parent may be required to pay. It follows the Wyoming Child Support Guidelines (W.S. § 20-2-301 through § 20-2-315) and considers:

Gross income of both parents
Number of children
Custody arrangement
Daycare and health insurance costs

The calculator is widely used by lawyers, judges, and families across the state to get a realistic support figure before going to court.

2. How Does Wyoming Calculate Child Support in 2025?

As of 2025, Wyoming continues to use the Income Shares Model, meaning both parents’ gross incomes are combined to determine the total support obligation.

Here’s a simplified breakdown:

Combine gross monthly income of both parents
Determine the basic support obligation using the state’s income chart
Divide the support proportionally based on each parent’s income
Adjust for custody type, health insurance, and daycare costs

3. What Counts as “Gross Income” in Wyoming?

Gross income includes:

Salary and wages (before taxes)
Overtime and bonuses
Commissions
Self-employment income
Rental income
Pensions and retirement
Social Security benefits (excluding SSI)
Unemployment benefits

It does not include:

Public assistance
Child support received for other children

The court may also impute income if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.

4. Does Parenting Time Impact the Child Support Calculation?

Absolutely.

Wyoming courts recognize two primary custody models:

Primary Custody: One parent has the child more than 65% of the time
Shared Custody: Both parents have the child at least 40% of the time

In shared custody, the calculator adjusts the support obligation downward because both parents are covering more of the child’s daily needs directly.

5. Where Can I Find the Official Wyoming Child Support Calculator?

The calculator is available on:
👉 Wyoming Judicial Branch Website
👉 Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS)

Many legal aid and family law websites also provide updated calculators. Be sure the tool reflects 2025 updates, especially income thresholds and shared custody adjustments.

6. What Expenses Are Included in Wyoming Child Support?

The calculator accounts for:

Basic living expenses (food, clothing, shelter)
Medical and dental insurance premiums
Work-related daycare
Extraordinary educational and medical expenses

These are divided proportionally based on income and added to the base support obligation.

7. Can Parents Deviate From the Child Support Amount?

Yes, but only with court approval.

The calculated amount is presumed correct under Wyoming law, but deviations are allowed if:

It’s in the best interest of the child
There are extraordinary circumstances (e.g., high travel costs, disability)
Parents agree and the judge finds the agreement reasonable

8. What If I’m Paying Child Support for Other Children?

Wyoming allows a deduction for court-ordered support payments for other children.

If you’re supporting children from another relationship under a separate order, that payment is deducted from your income before calculating new support.

9. Can Child Support Be Modified in Wyoming?

Yes.

You can request a modification if:

It’s been at least six months
There’s a substantial change in circumstances, such as:
- Job loss
- Income increase or decrease
- Changes in custody
- New medical or educational expenses

The new support amount is recalculated using the same guidelines and calculator.

10. How Long Does Child Support Last in Wyoming?

Child support in Wyoming ends when the child turns 18, unless the child:

Is still in high school, in which case support may continue until age 20
Has a mental or physical disability, which could lead to extended or lifelong support obligations

11. What If a Parent Is Unemployed on Purpose?

Courts can impute income to a parent who is:

Voluntarily unemployed
Working below their earning capacity

Judges will look at employment history, education, and job availability to assign a fair income figure for calculating support.

12. Do Daycare and Health Insurance Affect the Support Amount?

Yes. These are considered add-on expenses.

The calculator includes:

Monthly cost of the child’s health insurance
Work-related childcare costs

Both are split in proportion to each parent’s income and added to the base child support.

It depends.

If both parents earn roughly the same income and have equal time with the child, then yes, support may be very low or even zero. But courts still review:

Who pays for insurance, school, clothes
Other indirect contributions

Remember, child support is about fairness, not just math.

14. What If We Want to Pay More or Less Than the Calculated Amount?

If you and your co-parent agree to a different amount, the court must still approve it. The judge will ask:

Is it in the child’s best interest?
Is either parent being pressured?
Does the child’s lifestyle suffer?

As long as the child is protected, courts are open to fair deviations.

15. How Are Self-Employed Parents Handled in Support Cases?

Self-employed parents must provide:

Profit and loss statements
Tax returns
Expense documentation

Wyoming courts are careful to avoid underreporting and will estimate income if records are unclear.

16. Does Wyoming Have a Minimum or Maximum Child Support Order?

There is no strict minimum, but the court generally sets a support floor around $50–$100/month for low-income parents.

There’s no maximum cap, either—high-income parents may owe more, particularly if the child has additional financial needs or attends private school.

17. What Are the 2025 Updates to Wyoming Child Support Law?

Here’s what changed in 2025:

Updated income brackets to reflect cost-of-living increases
Greater emphasis on shared custody adjustments
Stricter enforcement measures for unpaid support (including license suspension and tax refund garnishment)

These updates are now built into the latest calculator tools.

18. What Happens If Support Isn’t Paid?

Wyoming enforces child support orders through the Department of Family Services, which can:

Garnish wages and tax refunds
Suspend driver’s and professional licenses
Seize bank accounts
Place liens on property
Report delinquencies to credit bureaus

Unpaid support adds up fast and can result in civil or even criminal penalties.

19. Can Child Support Cover College or Higher Education?

Not by default.

Wyoming law doesn’t require support for college expenses unless:

The parents agree to it in a court order
The court finds it necessary in rare cases (e.g., child has special needs)

College support is often handled in a separate parenting agreement, not the calculator.

20. Should I Use the Calculator Before Going to Court?

Definitely.

Whether you’re the paying or receiving parent, using the calculator before court or mediation helps you:

Understand what to expect
Negotiate with clarity
Avoid unrealistic demands
Prepare for legal arguments

It’s what most attorneys do first during consultations—and it’s free and accessible online.

👨‍⚖️ Final Thoughts from a Family Law Perspective

The Wyoming Child Support Calculator is not just a math tool—it’s a window into how the court system views parenting, fairness, and financial responsibility. Whether you’re concerned about overpaying or not receiving enough to cover your child’s needs, knowing how the system works empowers you to protect your rights and your child’s future.

Use this FAQ as your go-to guide, and remember: if your case is complex (involving self-employment, multiple households, or out-of-state parents), talk to a family lawyer. But even before that, plug your numbers into the calculator—because the more informed you are, the stronger your position becomes.

How to file Sole Custody in Wyoming?

In Wyoming, sole custody means one parent is given both legal and physical custody of the child. That parent will have:

The right to make all major decisions (education, health, religion, etc.)
Primary physical custody (the child lives with them most or all of the time)

The other parent may still get visitation rights, but they do not share decision-making authority.

📋 How to File for Sole Custody in Wyoming – Step-by-Step

Step 1: Meet the Residency Requirement

Before filing, either:

You or the child must have lived in Wyoming for at least 6 months, OR
If the child is younger than 6 months, since birth

📍 Tip: File in the county where the child resides.

Step 2: File the Correct Forms

If you’re not yet divorced:

File a Petition for Divorce with Minor Children and request sole custody.

If you’re already divorced or were never married:

File a Petition to Establish Custody, Visitation, and Support.

You’ll need:

Petition form
Confidential statement (with personal info)
Summons (to notify the other parent)
Civil cover sheet

Get forms here: https://www.courts.state.wy.us

Step 3: Explain Why Sole Custody Is in the Child’s Best Interest

Wyoming courts decide custody based on the child’s best interests, using factors like:

Each parent’s ability to care for the child
Stability of home environment
Child’s relationship with each parent
History of abuse, neglect, or substance abuse
Ability to co-parent

⚠️ Important: You must show the court why joint custody wouldn’t work—just disliking the other parent isn’t enough.

Step 4: Serve the Other Parent

Legally notify the other parent by having them served with the custody petition and summons by:

The sheriff, or
A private process server

They’ll have 20 days to respond if they live in Wyoming, or 30 days if out-of-state.

Step 5: Prepare for a Custody Hearing

If the other parent agrees, you may settle the case through a stipulated custody agreement. If not, the case proceeds to a custody trial.

You may need to provide:

Witnesses
School or medical records
Text messages or documentation
Evidence of domestic violence, if applicable

Step 6: Attend Mediation (if ordered)

In some counties, the court may order custody mediation before trial to try to reach an agreement.

If domestic violence is involved, you can ask to skip mediation for safety reasons.

Step 7: Final Court Hearing and Custody Order

At the final hearing, the judge will consider all evidence and issue a custody order.

If sole custody is awarded, the order will spell out:

Who has legal and physical custody
A parenting time (visitation) schedule, if any
Child support obligations

Once signed, this order becomes legally binding.

👩‍⚖️ When Will a Judge Grant Sole Custody in Wyoming?

Sole custody is typically granted when:

One parent is unfit, abusive, or absent
The parents can’t co-parent effectively
There is substance abuse, instability, or domestic violence
The child has special needs that one parent cannot manage

Wyoming favors joint custody only when it benefits the child—not automatically.

Bycsannusharma

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