518A.01 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.02 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.03 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.04 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.05 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.06 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.07 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.08 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.09 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.10 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.11 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.12 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.13 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.14 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.15 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.16 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.17 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.18 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.19 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.20 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.21 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.22 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.23 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.24 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.25 [Repealed, 1999 c 74 art 3 s 18]

518A.26 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Terms. For the purposes of this chapter and chapter 518, the terms defined in
this section shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them.
    Subd. 2. Apportioned veterans' benefits. "Apportioned veterans' benefits" means the
amount the Veterans Administration deducts from the veteran's award and disburses to the
child or the child's representative payee. The apportionment of veterans' benefits shall be that
determined by the Veterans Administration and governed by Code of Federal Regulations, title
38, sections 3.450 to 3.458.
    Subd. 3. Arrears. Arrears are amounts that accrue pursuant to an obligor's failure to
comply with a support order. Past support and pregnancy and confinement expenses contained
in a support order are arrears if the court order does not contain repayment terms. Arrears also
arise by the obligor's failure to comply with the terms of a court order for repayment of past
support or pregnancy and confinement expenses. An obligor's failure to comply with the terms
for repayment of amounts owed for past support or pregnancy and confinement turns the entire
amount owed into arrears.
    Subd. 4. Basic support. "Basic support" means the basic support obligation computed under
section 518A.34. Basic support includes the dollar amount ordered for a child's housing, food,
clothing, transportation, and education costs, and other expenses relating to the child's care. Basic
support does not include monetary contributions for a child's child care expenses and medical
and dental expenses.
    Subd. 5. Child. "Child" means an individual under 18 years of age, an individual under
age 20 who is still attending secondary school, or an individual who, by reason of physical or
mental condition, is incapable of self-support.
    Subd. 6. Deposit account. "Deposit account" means funds deposited with a financial
institution in the form of a savings account, checking account, NOW account, or demand deposit
account.
    Subd. 7. Financial institution. "Financial institution" means a savings association, bank,
trust company, credit union, industrial loan and thrift company, bank and trust company, or
savings association, and includes a branch or detached facility of a financial institution.
    Subd. 8. Gross income. "Gross income" means the gross income of the parent calculated
under section 518A.29.
    Subd. 9. Income withholding only services. "Income withholding only services" means the
services provided by the public authority to collect payments pursuant to a support order but does
not include other enforcement services provided by the public authority for IV-D cases. Notices
required for income withholding under this section shall be initiated by the applicant for services.
An obligation for spousal maintenance under subdivision 21, paragraph (a), clause (3), is only
eligible for income withholding only services.
    Subd. 10. IV-D case. "IV-D case" means a case where a party has assigned to the state rights
to child support because of the receipt of public assistance as defined in section 256.741 or has
applied for child support services under title IV-D of the Social Security Act, United States Code,
title 42, section 654(4). An obligation for spousal maintenance under subdivision 21, paragraph
(a), clause (3), is not an IV-D case.
    Subd. 11. Joint child. "Joint child" means the dependent child who is the child of both
parents in the support proceeding. In cases where support is sought from only one parent of a
child, a joint child is the child for whom support is sought.
    Subd. 12. Nonjoint child. "Nonjoint child" means the legal child of one, but not both of the
parents in the support proceeding. Nonjoint child does not include stepchildren.
    Subd. 13. Obligee. "Obligee" means a person to whom payments for maintenance or support
are owed.
    Subd. 14. Obligor. "Obligor" means a person obligated to pay maintenance or support. A
person who has primary physical custody of a child is presumed not to be an obligor for purposes
of a child support order under section 518A.34, unless section 518A.36, subdivision 3, applies or
the court makes specific written findings to overcome this presumption. For purposes of ordering
medical support under section 518A.41, a parent who has primary physical custody of a child may
be an obligor subject to a payment agreement under section 518A.69.
    Subd. 15. Parental income for determining child support (PICS). "Parental income
for determining child support," or "PICS," means gross income minus deductions for nonjoint
children allowed under section 518A.33.
    Subd. 16. Payor of funds. "Payor of funds" means a person or entity that provides funds
to an obligor, including an employer as defined under chapter 24, section 3401(d), of the
Internal Revenue Code, an independent contractor, payor of workers' compensation benefits or
unemployment insurance benefits, or a financial institution as defined in section 13B.06.
    Subd. 17. Primary physical custody. The parent having "primary physical custody" means
the parent who provides the primary residence for a child and is responsible for the majority of
the day-to-day decisions concerning a child.
    Subd. 18. Public authority. "Public authority" means the local unit of government, acting on
behalf of the state, that is responsible for child support enforcement or the Department of Human
Services, Child Support Enforcement Division.
    Subd. 19. Social Security benefits. "Social Security benefits" means the monthly retirement,
survivors, or disability insurance benefits that the Social Security Administration provides to a
parent for that parent's own benefit or for the benefit of a joint child. Social Security benefits
do not include Supplemental Security Income benefits that the Social Security Administration
provides to a parent for the parent's own benefit or to a parent due to the disability of a child.
    Subd. 20. Support money; child support. "Support money" or "child support" means an
amount for basic support, child care support, and medical support pursuant to:
    (1) an award in a dissolution, legal separation, annulment, or parentage proceeding for the
care, support and education of any child of the marriage or of the parties to the proceeding;
    (2) a contribution by parents ordered under section 256.87; or
    (3) support ordered under chapter 518B or 518C.
    Subd. 21. Support order. (a) "Support order" means a judgment, decree, or order, whether
temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or administrative agency of
competent jurisdiction:
(1) for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of
majority under the law of the issuing state;
(2) for a child and the parent with whom the child is living, that provides for monetary
support, child care, medical support including expenses for confinement and pregnancy,
arrearages, or reimbursement; or
(3) for the maintenance of a spouse or former spouse.
(b) The support order may include related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income
withholding, and other relief. This definition applies to orders issued under this chapter and
chapters 256, 257, 518, and 518C.
    Subd. 22. Survivors' and dependents' educational assistance. "Survivors' and dependents'
educational assistance" are funds disbursed by the Veterans Administration under United States
Code, title 38, chapter 35, to the child or the child's representative payee.
History: 1951 c 551 s 1; 1969 c 1028 s 2,3; 1973 c 725 s 74; 1974 c 107 s 18; 1978 c 772 s
48; 1979 c 259 s 23,34; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 45; 1982 c 464 s 1; 1983 c 144 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1987
c 157 s 14-16; 1988 c 590 s 1; 1988 c 668 s 15,16; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 189; 1990 c 568 art 2 s
68,69; 1992 c 463 s 29; 1993 c 340 s 31; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1995 c 202 art 1 s 25; 1997 c 203 art 6 s
40,41; 1997 c 245 art 3 s 9; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 3-5; 1999 c 107 s 66; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 5; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2005 c 116 s 1-3; 2005 c 164 s 5,29,31; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 26,28; 2006 c 280 s 21,43

518A.27 MAINTENANCE OR SUPPORT MONEY.
    Subdivision 1. Contents of order. Every award of maintenance or support money in
a judgment of dissolution or legal separation shall clearly designate whether the same is
maintenance or support money, or what part of the award is maintenance and what part is support
money. An award of payments from future income or earnings of the parent with whom the child
resides is presumed to be maintenance and an award of payments from the future income or
earnings of the parent with whom the child does not reside is presumed to be support money,
unless otherwise designated by the court. In a judgment of dissolution or legal separation the
court may determine, as one of the issues of the case, whether or not either spouse is entitled to an
award of maintenance notwithstanding that no award is then made, or it may reserve jurisdiction
of the issue of maintenance for determination at a later date.
    Subd. 2. Notice of address or residence change. Every obligor shall notify the obligee and
the public authority responsible for collection, if applicable, of a change of address or residence
within 60 days of the address or residence change. Every order for support or maintenance must
contain a conspicuous notice complying with section 518.68, subdivision 2. The court may
waive or modify the requirements of this subdivision by order if necessary to protect the obligor
from contact by the obligee.
    Subd. 3. Determination of controlling order. The public authority or a party may request
the district court to determine a controlling order in situations in which more than one order
involving the same obligor and child exists. The court shall presume that the latest order that
involves the same obligor and joint child is controlling, subject to contrary proof.
History: 1951 c 551 s 2; 1969 c 1028 s 4; 1974 c 107 s 19; 1978 c 772 s 49; 1979 c 259 s
24; 1984 c 547 s 17; 1985 c 131 s 6; 1988 c 593 s 6,7; 1993 c 322 s 11; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 6; 2001
c 51 s 12; 2005 c 164 s 6,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.28 PROVIDING INCOME INFORMATION.
(a) In any case where the parties have joint children for which a child support order must
be determined, the parties shall serve and file with their initial pleadings or motion documents,
a financial affidavit, disclosing all sources of gross income for purposes of section 518A.29.
The financial affidavit shall include relevant supporting documentation necessary to calculate
the parental income for child support under section 518A.26, subdivision 15, including, but
not limited to, pay stubs for the most recent three months, employer statements, or statements
of receipts and expenses if self-employed. Documentation of earnings and income also include
relevant copies of each parent's most recent federal tax returns, including W-2 forms, 1099 forms,
unemployment benefit statements, workers' compensation statements, and all other documents
evidencing earnings or income as received that provide verification for the financial affidavit. The
commissioner of human services shall prepare a financial affidavit form that must be used by the
parties for disclosing information under this section.
    (b) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), at any time after an action seeking child
support has been commenced or when a child support order is in effect, a party or the public
authority may require the other party to give them a copy of the party's most recent federal tax
returns that were filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The party shall provide a copy of
the tax returns within 30 days of receipt of the request unless the request is not made in good
faith. A request under this paragraph may not be made more than once every two years, in the
absence of good cause.
    (c) If a parent under the jurisdiction of the court does not serve and file the financial affidavit
with the parent's initial pleading or motion documents, the court shall set income for that parent
based on credible evidence before the court or in accordance with section 518A.32. Credible
evidence may include documentation of current or recent income, testimony of the other parent
concerning recent earnings and income levels, and the parent's wage reports filed with the
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development under section 268.044. The
court may consider credible evidence from one party that the financial affidavit submitted by
the other party is false or inaccurate.
(d) If the court determines that a party does not have access to documents that are required to
be disclosed under this section, the court may consider the testimony of that party as credible
evidence of that party's income.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.29 CALCULATION OF GROSS INCOME.
    (a) Subject to the exclusions and deductions in this section, gross income includes any form
of periodic payment to an individual, including, but not limited to, salaries, wages, commissions,
self-employment income under section 518A.30, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits,
annuity payments, military and naval retirement, pension and disability payments, spousal
maintenance received under a previous order or the current proceeding, Social Security or
veterans benefits provided for a joint child under section 518A.31, and potential income under
section 518A.32. Salaries, wages, commissions, or other compensation paid by third parties shall
be based upon gross income before participation in an employer-sponsored benefit plan that
allows an employee to pay for a benefit or expense using pretax dollars, such as flexible spending
plans and health savings accounts. No deductions shall be allowed for contributions to pensions,
401-K, IRA, or other retirement benefits.
    (b) Gross income does not include compensation received by a party for employment in
excess of a 40-hour work week, provided that:
    (1) child support is ordered in an amount at least equal to the guideline amount based on
gross income not excluded under this clause; and
    (2) the party demonstrates, and the court finds, that:
    (i) the excess employment began after the filing of the petition for dissolution or legal
separation or a petition related to custody, parenting time, or support;
    (ii) the excess employment reflects an increase in the work schedule or hours worked over
that of the two years immediately preceding the filing of the petition;
    (iii) the excess employment is voluntary and not a condition of employment;
    (iv) the excess employment is in the nature of additional, part-time or overtime employment
compensable by the hour or fraction of an hour; and
    (v) the party's compensation structure has not been changed for the purpose of affecting a
support or maintenance obligation.
    (c) Expense reimbursements or in-kind payments received by a parent in the course of
employment, self-employment, or operation of a business shall be counted as income if they
reduce personal living expenses.
    (d) Gross income may be calculated on either an annual or monthly basis. Weekly income
shall be translated to monthly income by multiplying the weekly income by 4.33.
    (e) Gross income does not include a child support payment received by a party. It is a
rebuttable presumption that adoption assistance payments, guardianship assistance payments,
and foster care subsidies are not gross income.
    (f) Gross income does not include the income of the obligor's spouse and the obligee's spouse.
(g) Child support or spousal maintenance payments ordered by a court for a nonjoint child or
former spouse or ordered payable to the other party as part of the current proceeding are deducted
from other periodic payments received by a party for purposes of determining gross income.
(h) Gross income does not include public assistance benefits received under section 256.741
or other forms of public assistance based on need.
History: 2005 c 164 s 14,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 25

518A.30 INCOME FROM SELF-EMPLOYMENT OR OPERATION OF A BUSINESS.
    For purposes of section 518A.29, income from self-employment or operation of a business,
including joint ownership of a partnership or closely held corporation, is defined as gross receipts
minus costs of goods sold minus ordinary and necessary expenses required for self-employment
or business operation. Specifically excluded from ordinary and necessary expenses are amounts
allowable by the Internal Revenue Service for the accelerated component of depreciation
expenses, investment tax credits, or any other business expenses determined by the court to be
inappropriate or excessive for determining gross income for purposes of calculating child support.
The person seeking to deduct an expense, including depreciation, has the burden of proving, if
challenged, that the expense is ordinary and necessary.
History: 2005 c 164 s 15,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 26

518A.31 SOCIAL SECURITY OR VETERANS' BENEFIT PAYMENTS RECEIVED
ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD.
    (a) The amount of the monthly Social Security benefits or apportioned veterans' benefits
provided for a joint child shall be included in the gross income of the parent on whose eligibility
the benefits are based.
    (b) The amount of the monthly survivors' and dependents' educational assistance provided
for a joint child shall be included in the gross income of the parent on whose eligibility the
benefits are based.
    (c) If Social Security or apportioned veterans' benefits are provided for a joint child based on
the eligibility of the obligor, and are received by the obligee as a representative payee for the child
or by the child attending school, then the amount of the benefits shall also be subtracted from the
obligor's net child support obligation as calculated pursuant to section 518A.34.
    (d) If the survivors' and dependents' educational assistance is provided for a joint child based
on the eligibility of the obligor, and is received by the obligee as a representative payee for the
child or by the child attending school, then the amount of the assistance shall also be subtracted
from the obligor's net child support obligation as calculated under section 518A.34.
History: 2005 c 164 s 21,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 31

518A.32 POTENTIAL INCOME.
    Subdivision 1. General. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed, underemployed, or employed
on a less than full-time basis, or there is no direct evidence of any income, child support must be
calculated based on a determination of potential income. For purposes of this determination, it
is rebuttably presumed that a parent can be gainfully employed on a full-time basis. As used in
this section, "full time" means 40 hours of work in a week except in those industries, trades, or
professions in which most employers, due to custom, practice, or agreement, use a normal work
week of more or less than 40 hours in a week.
    Subd. 2. Methods. Determination of potential income must be made according to one of
three methods, as appropriate:
(1) the parent's probable earnings level based on employment potential, recent work history,
and occupational qualifications in light of prevailing job opportunities and earnings levels in
the community;
(2) if a parent is receiving unemployment compensation or workers' compensation, that
parent's income may be calculated using the actual amount of the unemployment compensation or
workers' compensation benefit received; or
(3) the amount of income a parent could earn working full time at 150 percent of the current
federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher.
    Subd. 3. Parent not considered voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. A parent is
not considered voluntarily unemployed or underemployed upon a showing by the parent that:
(1) unemployment or underemployment is temporary and will ultimately lead to an increase
in income; or
(2) the unemployment or underemployment represents a bona fide career change that
outweighs the adverse effect of that parent's diminished income on the child.
    Subd. 4. TANF recipient. If the parent of a joint child is a recipient of a temporary assistance
to a needy family (TANF) cash grant, no potential income is to be imputed to that parent.
    Subd. 5. Caretaker. If a parent stays at home to care for a child who is subject to the child
support order, the court may consider the following factors when determining whether the parent
is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed:
(1) the parties' parenting and child care arrangements before the child support action;
(2) the stay-at-home parent's employment history, recency of employment, earnings, and the
availability of jobs within the community for an individual with the parent's qualifications;
(3) the relationship between the employment-related expenses, including, but not limited to,
child care and transportation costs required for the parent to be employed, and the income the
stay-at-home parent could receive from available jobs within the community for an individual
with the parent's qualifications;
(4) the child's age and health, including whether the child is physically or mentally disabled;
and
(5) the availability of child care providers.
This subdivision does not apply if the parent stays at home only to care for other nonjoint
children.
    Subd. 6. Economic conditions. A self-employed parent is not considered to be voluntarily
unemployed or underemployed if that parent can show that the parent's net self-employment
income is lower because of economic conditions that are directly related to the source or sources
of that parent's income.
History: 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 19

518A.33 DEDUCTION FROM INCOME FOR NONJOINT CHILDREN.
    (a) When either or both parents are legally responsible for a nonjoint child, a deduction for
this obligation shall be calculated under this section if:
(1) the nonjoint child primarily resides in the parent's household; and
(2) the parent is not obligated to pay basic child support for the nonjoint child to the other
parent or a legal custodian of the child under an existing child support order.
    (b) The court shall use the guidelines under section 518A.35 to determine the basic child
support obligation for the nonjoint child or children by using the gross income of the parent for
whom the deduction is being calculated and the number of nonjoint children primarily residing
in the parent's household. If the number of nonjoint children to be used for the determination is
greater than two, the determination must be made using the number two instead of the greater
number.
    (c) The deduction for nonjoint children is 50 percent of the guideline amount determined
under paragraph (b).
History: 2005 c 164 s 20,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 30

518A.34 COMPUTATION OF CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS.
    (a) To determine the presumptive child support obligation of a parent, the court shall follow
the procedure set forth in this section.
(b) To determine the obligor's basic support obligation, the court shall:
    (1) determine the gross income of each parent under section 518A.29;
    (2) calculate the parental income for determining child support (PICS) of each parent, by
subtracting from the gross income the credit, if any, for each parent's nonjoint children under
section 518A.33;
    (3) determine the percentage contribution of each parent to the combined PICS by dividing
the combined PICS into each parent's PICS;
    (4) determine the combined basic support obligation by application of the guidelines in
section 518A.35;
    (5) determine the obligor's share of the basic support obligation by multiplying the
percentage figure from clause (3) by the combined basic support obligation in clause (4); and
    (6) determine the parenting expense adjustment, if any, as provided in section 518A.36, and
adjust the obligor's basic support obligation accordingly. If the parenting time of the parties is
presumed equal, section 518A.36, subdivision 3, applies to the calculation of the basic support
obligation and a determination of which parent is the obligor.
    (c) The court shall determine the child care support obligation for the obligor as provided
in section 518A.40.
    (d) The court shall determine the medical support obligation for each parent as provided
in section 518A.41. Unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses are not included in the
presumptive amount of support owed by a parent and are calculated and collected as described
in section 518A.41.
    (e) The court shall determine each parent's total child support obligation by adding together
each parent's basic support, child care support, and health care coverage obligations as provided
in this section.
    (f) If Social Security benefits or veterans' benefits are received by one parent as a
representative payee for a joint child based on the other parent's eligibility, the court shall subtract
the amount of benefits from the other parent's net child support obligation, if any.
    (g) The final child support order shall separately designate the amount owed for basic
support, child care support, and medical support. If applicable, the court shall use the self-support
adjustment and minimum support adjustment under section 518A.42 to determine the obligor's
child support obligation.
History: 2005 c 164 s 16,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 27

518A.35 GUIDELINE USED IN CHILD SUPPORT DETERMINATIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Determination of support obligation. (a) The guideline in this section is a
rebuttable presumption and shall be used in any judicial or administrative proceeding to establish
or modify a support obligation under this chapter.
    (b) The basic child support obligation shall be determined by referencing the guideline for
the appropriate number of joint children and the combined parental income for determining
child support of the parents.
    (c) If a child is not in the custody of either parent and a support order is sought against one or
both parents, the basic child support obligation shall be determined by referencing the guideline
for the appropriate number of joint children, and the parent's individual parental income for
determining child support, not the combined parental incomes for determining child support
of the parents.
    (d) For combined parental incomes for determining child support exceeding $15,000 per
month, the presumed basic child support obligations shall be as for parents with combined parental
income for determining child support of $15,000 per month. A basic child support obligation in
excess of this level may be demonstrated for those reasons set forth in section 518A.43.
    Subd. 2. Basic support; guideline. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parents and approved
by the court, when establishing basic support, the court must order that basic support be divided
between the parents based on their proportionate share of the parents' combined monthly
parental income for determining child support (PICS). Basic support must be computed using the
following guideline:

	Combined Parental	Number of Children
	Income for Determining Child Support	One	Two	Three	Four	Five	Six
	$0- $799	$50	$50	$75	$75	$100	$100
	800-899	80	129	149	173	201	233
	900-999	90	145	167	194	226	262
	1,000- 1,099	116	161	186	216	251	291
	1,100- 1,199	145	205	237	275	320	370
	1,200- 1,299	177	254	294	341	396	459
	1,300- 1,399	212	309	356	414	480	557
	1,400- 1,499	251	368	425	493	573	664
	1,500- 1,599	292	433	500	580	673	780
	1,600- 1,699	337	502	580	673	781	905
	1,700- 1,799	385	577	666	773	897	1,040
	1,800- 1,899	436	657	758	880	1,021	1,183
	1,900- 1,999	490	742	856	994	1,152	1,336
	2,000- 2,099	516	832	960	1,114	1,292	1,498
	2,100- 2,199	528	851	981	1,139	1,320	1,531
	2,200- 2,299	538	867	1,000	1,160	1,346	1,561
	2,300- 2,399	546	881	1,016	1,179	1,367	1,586
	2,400- 2,499	554	893	1,029	1,195	1,385	1,608
	2,500- 2,599	560	903	1,040	1,208	1,400	1,625
	2,600- 2,699	570	920	1,060	1,230	1,426	1,655
	2,700- 2,799	580	936	1,078	1,251	1,450	1,683
	2,800- 2,899	589	950	1,094	1,270	1,472	1,707
	2,900- 2,999	596	963	1,109	1,287	1,492	1,730
	3,000- 3,099	603	975	1,122	1,302	1,509	1,749
	3,100- 3,199	613	991	1,141	1,324	1,535	1,779
	3,200- 3,299	623	1,007	1,158	1,344	1,558	1,807
	3,300- 3,399	636	1,021	1,175	1,363	1,581	1,833
	3,400- 3,499	650	1,034	1,190	1,380	1,601	1,857
	3,500- 3,599	664	1,047	1,204	1,397	1,621	1,880
	3,600- 3,699	677	1,062	1,223	1,418	1,646	1,909
	3,700- 3,799	691	1,077	1,240	1,439	1,670	1,937
	3,800- 3,899	705	1,081	1,257	1,459	1,693	1,963
	3,900- 3,999	719	1,104	1,273	1,478	1,715	1,988
	4,000- 4,099	732	1,116	1,288	1,496	1,736	2,012
	4,100- 4,199	746	1,132	1,305	1,516	1,759	2,039
	4,200- 4,299	760	1,147	1,322	1,536	1,781	2,064
	4,300- 4,399	774	1,161	1,338	1,554	1,802	2,088
	4,400- 4,499	787	1,175	1,353	1,572	1,822	2,111
	4,500- 4,599	801	1,184	1,368	1,589	1,841	2,133
	4,600- 4,699	808	1,200	1,386	1,608	1,864	2,160
	4,700- 4,799	814	1,215	1,402	1,627	1,887	2,186
	4,800- 4,899	820	1,231	1,419	1,645	1,908	2,212
	4,900- 4,999	825	1,246	1,435	1,663	1,930	2,236
	5,000- 5,099	831	1,260	1,450	1,680	1,950	2,260
	5,100- 5,199	837	1,275	1,468	1,701	1,975	2,289
	5,200- 5,299	843	1,290	1,485	1,722	1,999	2,317
	5,300- 5,399	849	1,304	1,502	1,743	2,022	2,345
	5,400- 5,499	854	1,318	1,518	1,763	2,046	2,372
	5,500- 5,599	860	1,331	1,535	1,782	2,068	2,398
	5,600- 5,699	866	1,346	1,551	1,801	2,090	2,424
	5,700- 5,799	873	1,357	1,568	1,819	2,111	2,449
	5,800- 5,899	881	1,376	1,583	1,837	2,132	2,473
	5,900- 5,999	888	1,390	1,599	1,855	2,152	2,497
	6,000- 6,099	895	1,404	1,604	1,872	2,172	2,520
	6,100- 6,199	902	1,419	1,631	1,892	2,195	2,546
	6,200- 6,299	909	1,433	1,645	1,912	2,217	2,572
	6,300- 6,399	916	1,448	1,664	1,932	2,239	2,597
	6,400- 6,499	923	1,462	1,682	1,951	2,260	2,621
	6,500- 6,599	930	1,476	1,697	1,970	2,282	2,646
	6,600- 6,699	936	1,490	1,713	1,989	2,305	2,673
	6,700- 6,799	943	1,505	1,730	2,009	2,328	2,700
	6,800- 6,899	950	1,519	1,746	2,028	2,350	2,727
	6,900- 6,999	957	1,533	1,762	2,047	2,379	2,747
	7,000- 7,099	963	1,547	1,778	2,065	2,394	2,753
	7,100- 7,199	970	1,561	1,795	2,085	2,417	2,758
	7,200- 7,299	974	1,574	1,812	2,104	2,439	2,764
	7,300- 7,399	980	1,587	1,828	2,123	2,462	2,769
	7,400- 7,499	989	1,600	1,844	2,142	2,483	2,775
	7,500- 7,599	998	1,613	1,860	2,160	2,505	2,781
	7,600- 7,699	1,006	1,628	1,877	2,180	2,528	2,803
	7,700- 7,799	1,015	1,643	1,894	2,199	2,550	2,833
	7,800- 7,899	1,023	1,658	1,911	2,218	2,572	2,864
	7,900- 7,999	1,032	1,673	1,928	2,237	2,594	2,894
	8,000- 8,099	1,040	1,688	1,944	2,256	2,616	2,925
	8,100- 8,199	1,048	1,703	1,960	2,274	2,637	2,955
	8,200- 8,299	1,056	1,717	1,976	2,293	2,658	2,985
	8,300 -8,399	1,064	1,731	1,992	2,311	2,679	3,016
	8,400- 8,499	1,072	1,746	2,008	2,328	2,700	3,046
	8,500- 8,599	1,080	1,760	2,023	2,346	2,720	3,077
	8,600- 8,699	1,092	1,780	2,047	2,374	2,752	3,107
	8,700- 8,799	1,105	1,801	2,071	2,401	2,784	3,138
	8,800- 8,899	1,118	1,822	2,094	2,429	2,816	3,168
	8,900- 8,999	1,130	1,842	2,118	2,456	2,848	3,199
	9,000- 9,099	1,143	1,863	2,142	2,484	2,880	3,223
	9,100- 9,199	1,156	1,884	2,166	2,512	2,912	3,243
	9,200- 9,299	1,168	1,904	2,190	2,539	2,944	3,263
	9,300- 9,399	1,181	1,925	2,213	2,567	2,976	3,284
	9,400- 9,499	1,194	1,946	2,237	2,594	3,008	3,304
	9,500- 9,599	1,207	1,967	2,261	2,622	3,031	3,324
	9,600- 9,699	1,219	1,987	2,285	2,650	3,050	3,345
	9,700- 9,799	1,232	2,008	2,309	2,677	3,069	3,365
	9,800- 9,899	1,245	2,029	2,332	2,705	3,087	3,385
	9,900- 9,999	1,257	2,049	2,356	2,732	3,106	3,406
	10,000-10,099	1,270	2,070	2,380	2,760	3,125	3,426
	10,100-10,199	1,283	2,091	2,404	2,788	3,144	3,446
	10,200-10,299	1,295	2,111	2,428	2,815	3,162	3,467
	10,300-10,399	1,308	2,132	2,451	2,843	3,181	3,487
	10,400-10,499	1,321	2,153	2,475	2,870	3,200	3,507
	10,500-10,599	1,334	2,174	2,499	2,898	3,218	3,528
	10,600-10,699	1,346	2,194	2,523	2,921	3,237	3,548
	10,700-10,799	1,359	2,215	2,547	2,938	3,256	3,568
	10,800-10,899	1,372	2,236	2,570	2,955	3,274	3,589
	10,900-10,999	1,384	2,256	2,594	2,972	3,293	3,609
	11,000-11,099	1,397	2,277	2,618	2,989	3,312	3,629
	11,100-11,199	1,410	2,294	2,642	3,006	3,331	3,649
	11,200-11,299	1,422	2,306	2,666	3,023	3,349	3,667
	11,300-11,399	1,435	2,319	2,689	3,040	3,366	3,686
	11,400-11,499	1,448	2,331	2,713	3,055	3,383	3,705
	11,500-11,599	1,461	2,344	2,735	3,071	3,400	3,723
	11,600-11,699	1,473	2,356	2,748	3,087	3,417	3,742
	11,700-11,799	1,486	2,367	2,762	3,102	3,435	3,761
	11,800-11,899	1,499	2,378	2,775	3,116	3,452	3,780
	11,900-11,999	1,511	2,389	2,788	3,131	3,469	3,798
	12,000-12,099	1,524	2,401	2,801	3,146	3,485	3,817
	12,100-12,199	1,537	2,412	2,814	3,160	3,501	3,836
	12,200-12,299	1,549	2,423	2,828	3,175	3,517	3,854
	12,300-12,399	1,562	2,434	2,841	3,190	3,534	3,871
	12,400-12,499	1,575	2,445	2,854	3,205	3,550	3,889
	12,500-12,599	1,588	2,456	2,867	3,219	3,566	3,907
	12,600-12,699	1,600	2,467	2,880	3,234	3,582	3,924
	12,700-12,799	1,613	2,478	2,894	3,249	3,598	3,942
	12,800-12,899	1,626	2,489	2,907	3,264	3,615	3,960
	12,900-12,999	1,638	2,500	2,920	3,278	3,631	3,977
	13,000-13,099	1,651	2,512	2,933	3,293	3,647	3,995
	13,100-13,199	1,664	2,523	2,946	3,308	3,663	4,012
	13,200-13,299	1,676	2,534	2,960	3,322	3,679	4,030
	13,300-13,399	1,689	2,545	2,973	3,337	3,696	4,048
	13,400-13,499	1,702	2,556	2,986	3,352	3,712	4,065
	13,500-13,599	1,715	2,567	2,999	3,367	3,728	4,083
	13,600-13,699	1,727	2,578	3,012	3,381	3,744	4,100
	13,700-13,799	1,740	2,589	3,026	3,396	3,760	4,118
	13,800-13,899	1,753	2,600	3,039	3,411	3,777	4,136
	13,900-13,999	1,765	2,611	3,052	3,425	3,793	4,153
	14,000-14,099	1,778	2,623	3,065	3,440	3,809	4,171
	14,100-14,199	1,791	2,634	3,078	3,455	3,825	4,189
	14,200-14,299	1,803	2,645	3,092	3,470	3,841	4,206
	14,300-14,399	1,816	2,656	3,105	3,484	3,858	4,224
	14,400-14,499	1,829	2,667	3,118	3,499	3,874	4,239
	14,500-14,599	1,842	2,678	3,131	3,514	3,889	4,253
	14,600-14,699	1,854	2,689	3,144	3,529	3,902	4,268
	14,700-14,799	1,864	2,700	3,158	3,541	3,916	4,282
	14,800-14,899	1,872	2,711	3,170	3,553	3,929	4,297
	14,900-14,999	1,879	2,722	3,181	3,565	3,942	4,311
	15,000, or the amount in effect under subd. 4	1,883	2,727	3,186	3,571	3,949	4,319

    Subd. 3. Income cap on determining basic support. (a) The basic support obligation for
parents with a combined parental income for determining child support in excess of the income
limit currently in effect under subdivision 2 must be the same dollar amount as provided for the
parties with a combined parental income for determining child support equal to the income in
effect under subdivision 2.
    (b) A court may order a basic support obligation in a child support order in an amount
that exceeds the income limit in subdivision 2 if it finds that a child has a disability or other
substantial, demonstrated need for the additional support for those reasons set forth in section
518A.43 and that the additional support will directly benefit the child.
    (c) The dollar amount for the cap in subdivision 2 must be adjusted on July 1 of every
even-numbered year to reflect cost-of-living changes. The Supreme Court must select the index
for the adjustment from the indices listed in section 518A.75, subdivision 1. The state court
administrator must make the changes in the dollar amounts required by this paragraph available to
courts and the public on or before April 30 of the year in which the amount is to change.
    Subd. 4. More than six children. If a child support proceeding involves more than six
children, the court may derive a support order without specifically following the guidelines.
However, the court must consider the basic principles encompassed by the guidelines and must
consider both parents' needs, resources, and circumstances.
History: 2005 c 164 s 26,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 27,28; 2006 c 280 s 42

518A.36 PARENTING EXPENSE ADJUSTMENT.
    Subdivision 1. General. (a) The parenting expense adjustment under this section reflects the
presumption that while exercising parenting time, a parent is responsible for and incurs costs of
caring for the child, including, but not limited to, food, transportation, recreation, and household
expenses. Every child support order shall specify the percentage of parenting time granted to or
presumed for each parent. For purposes of this section, the percentage of parenting time means the
percentage of time a child is scheduled to spend with the parent during a calendar year according
to a court order. Parenting time includes time with the child whether it is designated as visitation,
physical custody, or parenting time. The percentage of parenting time may be determined by
calculating the number of overnights that a child spends with a parent, or by using a method other
than overnights if the parent has significant time periods on separate days where the child is in
the parent's physical custody and under the direct care of the parent but does not stay overnight.
The court may consider the age of the child in determining whether a child is with a parent for a
significant period of time.
(b) If there is not a court order awarding parenting time, the court shall determine the child
support award without consideration of the parenting expense adjustment. If a parenting time
order is subsequently issued or is issued in the same proceeding, then the child support order shall
include application of the parenting expense adjustment.
    Subd. 2. Calculation of parenting expense adjustment. The obligor is entitled to a
parenting expense adjustment calculated as provided in this subdivision. The court shall:
    (1) find the adjustment percentage corresponding to the percentage of parenting time allowed
to the obligor below:

		Percentage Range of	Adjustment
		Parenting Time	Percentage
	(i)	less than 10 percent	no adjustment
	(ii)	10 percent to 45 percent	12 percent
	(iii)	45.1 percent to 50 percent	presume parenting time is equal

    (2) multiply the adjustment percentage by the obligor's basic child support obligation to
arrive at the parenting expense adjustment; and
    (3) subtract the parenting expense adjustment from the obligor's basic child support
obligation. The result is the obligor's basic support obligation after parenting expense adjustment.
    Subd. 3. Calculation of basic support when parenting time presumed equal. (a) If the
parenting time is equal and the parental incomes for determining child support of the parents also
are equal, no basic support shall be paid unless the court determines that the expenses for the
child are not equally shared.
    (b) If the parenting time is equal but the parents' parental incomes for determining child
support are not equal, the parent having the greater parental income for determining child support
shall be obligated for basic child support, calculated as follows:
    (1) multiply the combined basic support calculated under section 518A.34 by 0.75;
    (2) prorate the amount under clause (1) between the parents based on each parent's
proportionate share of the combined PICS; and
(3) subtract the lower amount from the higher amount.
     The resulting figure is the obligation after parenting expense adjustment for the parent with
the greater parental income for determining child support.
History: 2005 c 164 s 24,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 40

518A.37 WRITTEN FINDINGS.
    Subdivision 1. No deviation. If the court does not deviate from the presumptive child support
obligation computed under section 518A.34, the court must make written findings that state:
(1) each parent's gross income;
(2) each parent's PICS; and
(3) any other significant evidentiary factors affecting the child support determination.
    Subd. 2. Deviation. If the court deviates from the presumptive child support obligation
computed under section 518A.34, the court must make written findings that state:
(1) each parent's gross income;
(2) each parent's PICS;
(3) the amount of the child support obligation computed under section 518A.34;
(4) the reasons for the deviation; and
(5) how the deviation serves the best interests of the child.
    Subd. 3. Written findings required in every case. The provisions of this section apply
whether or not the parties are each represented by independent counsel and have entered into a
written agreement. The court must review stipulations presented to it for conformity with section
518A.34. The court is not required to conduct a hearing, but the parties must provide sufficient
documentation to verify the child support determination and to justify any deviation.
History: 2005 c 164 s 18,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 29

518A.38 MINOR CHILDREN; SUPPORT.
    Subdivision 1. Order. Upon a decree of dissolution, legal separation, or annulment, the
court shall make a further order which is just and proper concerning the maintenance of the
minor children as provided by this chapter, and for the maintenance of any child of the parties as
defined in section 518A.26, as support money. The court may make any child support order a
lien or charge upon the property of the obligor, either at the time of the entry of the judgment or
by subsequent order upon proper application.
    Subd. 2. Seasonal income. The court shall establish the annual support of an obligor with a
seasonal income so that the obligor makes either the same monthly payments throughout the year
or monthly payments that reflect variations in income.
    Subd. 3. Satisfaction of child support obligation. The court may conclude that an obligor
has satisfied a child support obligation by providing a home, care, and support for the child while
the child is living with the obligor, if the court finds that the child was integrated into the family
of the obligor with the consent of the obligee and child support payments were not assigned
to the public agency under section 256.741.
    Subd. 4. Other custodians. If a child resides with a person other than a parent and the court
approves of the custody arrangement, the court may order child support payments to be made to
the custodian regardless of whether the person has legal custody.
    Subd. 5. Adjustment to support order. A support order issued under this section may
provide that during any period of time of 30 consecutive days or longer that the child is residing
with the obligor, the amount of support otherwise due under the order may be reduced.
    Subd. 6. Reopening support awards. Section 518.145, subdivision 2, applies to awards
of child support.
History: 1951 c 551 s 4; 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20,21; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s
50,52; 1979 c 259 s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488
s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s 16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4,5; 1986 c 444;
1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82; 1987 c 403 art 3 s 79-81; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282
art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c 568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18,19; 1991 c 266 s 2,3; 1991 c 292 art 5
s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s 53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38,40,41;
1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s 1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s
94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66 s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s
13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999 c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136,137; 1999 c 196
art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c 260 s 80; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s
37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344 s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12;
1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s 7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28;
2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.39 MODIFICATION OF ORDERS OR DECREES.
    Subdivision 1. Authority. After an order under this chapter or chapter 518 for maintenance
or support money, temporary or permanent, or for the appointment of trustees to receive property
awarded as maintenance or support money, the court may from time to time, on motion of either
of the parties, a copy of which is served on the public authority responsible for child support
enforcement if payments are made through it, or on motion of the public authority responsible
for support enforcement, modify the order respecting the amount of maintenance or support
money, and the payment of it, and also respecting the appropriation and payment of the principal
and income of property held in trust, and may make an order respecting these matters which it
might have made in the original proceeding, except as herein otherwise provided. A party or the
public authority also may bring a motion for contempt of court if the obligor is in arrears in
support or maintenance payments.
    Subd. 2. Modification. (a) The terms of an order respecting maintenance or support may
be modified upon a showing of one or more of the following, any of which makes the terms
unreasonable and unfair: (1) substantially increased or decreased gross income of an obligor or
obligee; (2) substantially increased or decreased need of an obligor or obligee or the child or
children that are the subject of these proceedings; (3) receipt of assistance under the AFDC
program formerly codified under sections 256.72 to 256.87 or 256B.01 to 256B.40, or chapter
256J or 256K; (4) a change in the cost of living for either party as measured by the Federal
Bureau of Labor Statistics; (5) extraordinary medical expenses of the child not provided for under
section 518A.41; (6) the addition of work-related or education-related child care expenses of the
obligee or a substantial increase or decrease in existing work-related or education-related child
care expenses; or (7) upon the emancipation of the child, as provided in subdivision 5.
    (b) It is presumed that there has been a substantial change in circumstances under paragraph
(a) and the terms of a current support order shall be rebuttably presumed to be unreasonable and
unfair if:
    (1) the application of the child support guidelines in section 518A.35, to the current
circumstances of the parties results in a calculated court order that is at least 20 percent and at least
$75 per month higher or lower than the current support order or, if the current support order is less
than $75, it results in a calculated court order that is at least 20 percent per month higher or lower;
    (2) the medical support provisions of the order established under section 518A.41 are not
enforceable by the public authority or the obligee;
    (3) health coverage ordered under section 518A.41 is not available to the child for whom the
order is established by the parent ordered to provide;
    (4) the existing support obligation is in the form of a statement of percentage and not a
specific dollar amount; or
    (5) the gross income of an obligor or obligee has decreased by at least 20 percent through no
fault or choice of the party.
    (c) A child support order is not presumptively modifiable solely because an obligor or
obligee becomes responsible for the support of an additional nonjoint child, which is born after
an existing order. Section 518A.33 shall be considered if other grounds are alleged which allow
a modification of support.
    (d) On a motion for modification of maintenance, including a motion for the extension of the
duration of a maintenance award, the court shall apply, in addition to all other relevant factors, the
factors for an award of maintenance under section 518.552 that exist at the time of the motion. On
a motion for modification of support, the court:
    (1) shall apply section 518A.35, and shall not consider the financial circumstances of each
party's spouse, if any; and
    (2) shall not consider compensation received by a party for employment in excess of a
40-hour work week, provided that the party demonstrates, and the court finds, that:
    (i) the excess employment began after entry of the existing support order;
    (ii) the excess employment is voluntary and not a condition of employment;
    (iii) the excess employment is in the nature of additional, part-time employment, or overtime
employment compensable by the hour or fractions of an hour;
    (iv) the party's compensation structure has not been changed for the purpose of affecting a
support or maintenance obligation;
    (v) in the case of an obligor, current child support payments are at least equal to the
guidelines amount based on income not excluded under this clause; and
    (vi) in the case of an obligor who is in arrears in child support payments to the obligee, any
net income from excess employment must be used to pay the arrearages until the arrearages
are paid in full.
    (e) A modification of support or maintenance, including interest that accrued pursuant to
section 548.091, may be made retroactive only with respect to any period during which the
petitioning party has pending a motion for modification but only from the date of service of notice
of the motion on the responding party and on the public authority if public assistance is being
furnished or the county attorney is the attorney of record.
    (f) Except for an award of the right of occupancy of the homestead, provided in section
518.63, all divisions of real and personal property provided by section 518.58 shall be final, and
may be revoked or modified only where the court finds the existence of conditions that justify
reopening a judgment under the laws of this state, including motions under section 518.145,
subdivision 2. The court may impose a lien or charge on the divided property at any time while
the property, or subsequently acquired property, is owned by the parties or either of them, for
the payment of maintenance or support money, or may sequester the property as is provided
by section 518A.71.
    (g) The court need not hold an evidentiary hearing on a motion for modification of
maintenance or support.
    (h) Sections 518.14 and 518A.735 shall govern the award of attorney fees for motions
brought under this subdivision.
    (i) Except as expressly provided, an enactment, amendment, or repeal of law does not
constitute a substantial change in the circumstances for purposes of modifying a child support
order.
    (j) There may be no modification of an existing child support order during the first year
following January 1, 2007, except as follows:
    (1) there is at least a 20 percent change in the gross income of the obligor;
    (2) there is a change in the number of joint children for whom the obligor is legally
responsible and actually supporting;
    (3) a parent or another caregiver of the child who is supported by the existing support order
begins to receive public assistance, as defined in section 256.741;
(4) there are additional work-related or education-related child care expenses of the obligee
or a substantial increase or decrease in existing work-related or education-related child care
expenses;
(5) there is a change in the availability of health care coverage, as defined in section
518A.41, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), or a substantial increase or decrease in the cost of existing
health care coverage;
(6) the child supported by the existing child support order becomes disabled; or
    (7) both parents consent to modification of the existing order under section 518A.34.
A modification under clause (4) may be granted only with respect to child care support.
A modification under clause (5) may be granted only with respect to medical support. This
paragraph expires January 1, 2008.
    (k) On the first modification under the income shares method of calculation, the modification
of basic support may be limited if the amount of the full variance would create hardship for either
the obligor or the obligee.
    Subd. 3. Maintenance on death or remarriage. Unless otherwise agreed in writing or
expressly provided in the decree, the obligation to pay future maintenance is terminated upon the
death of either party or the remarriage of the party receiving maintenance.
    Subd. 4. Child support on death of obligor. Unless otherwise agreed in writing or expressly
provided in the order, provisions for the support of a child are not terminated by the death of a
parent obligated to support the child. When a parent obligated to pay support dies, the amount
of support may be modified, revoked, or commuted to a lump sum payment, to the extent just
and appropriate in the circumstances.
    Subd. 5. Automatic termination of support. (a) Unless a court order provides otherwise, a
child support obligation in a specific amount per child terminates automatically and without any
action by the obligor to reduce, modify, or terminate the order upon the emancipation of the child
as provided under section 518A.26, subdivision 5.
(b) A child support obligation for two or more children that is not a support obligation in a
specific amount per child continues in the full amount until the emancipation of the last child for
whose benefit the order was made, or until further order of the court.
(c) The obligor may request a modification of the obligor's child support order upon the
emancipation of a child if there are still minor children under the order. The child support
obligation shall be determined based on the income of the parties at the time the modification
is sought.
    Subd. 6. Form. The state court administrator's office shall prepare and make available
to court administrators, obligors, and persons to whom child support is owed a form to be
submitted by the obligor or the person to whom child support is owed in support of a motion for a
modification of an order for support or maintenance or for contempt of court.
    Subd. 7. Child care exception. Child care support must be based on the actual child care
expenses. The court may provide that a decrease in the amount of the child care based on a
decrease in the actual child care expenses is effective as of the date the expense is decreased.
History: 1951 c 551 s 11; 1974 c 107 s 26; 1978 c 772 s 59; 1979 c 259 s 31; 1981 c 360 art
2 s 48,49; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1983 c 283 s 1; 1983 c 308 s 22,23; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1985 c
266 s 3; 1986 c 406 s 8; 1987 c 403 art 3 s 90; 1988 c 532 s 14; 1988 c 668 s 24; 1951 c 551 s 11;
1974 c 107 s 26; 1978 c 772 s 59; 1979 c 259 s 31; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 48,49; 1982 c 424 s 130;
1983 c 283 s 1; 1983 c 308 s 22,23; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1985 c 266 s 3; 1986 c 406 s 8; 1987 c
403 art 3 s 90; 1988 c 532 s 14; 1988 c 668 s 24; 1990 c 574 s 22; 1991 c 266 s 7; 1991 c 292 art
5 s 79; 1993 c 340 s 45-48; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 52; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 12; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 31;
art 3 s 11,12; 1997 c 187 art 2 s 13; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 29; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 20; 1999 c 159 s
139; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 11; 2000 c 458 s 5; 2001 c 51 s 16; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 14; 2002 c 379
art 1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 10-12,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 26,28; 2006 c 280 s 23,24,46

518A.40 CHILD CARE SUPPORT.
    Subdivision 1. Child care costs. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and approved
by the court, the court must order that work-related or education-related child care costs of
joint children be divided between the obligor and obligee based on their proportionate share of
the parties' combined monthly PICS. Child care costs shall be adjusted by the amount of the
estimated federal and state child care credit payable on behalf of a joint child. The Department of
Human Services shall develop tables to calculate the applicable credit based upon the custodial
parent's PICS.
    Subd. 2. Low-income obligor. (a) If the obligor's PICS meets the income eligibility
requirements for child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program under chapter 119B, the
court must order the obligor to pay the lesser of the following amounts:
    (1) the amount of the obligor's monthly co-payment for child care assistance under the basic
sliding fee schedule established by the commissioner of education under chapter 119B, based
on an obligor's monthly PICS and the size of the obligor's household provided that the obligee
is actually receiving child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program. For purposes of
this subdivision, the obligor's household includes the obligor and the number of joint children
for whom child support is being ordered; or
    (2) the amount of the obligor's child care obligation under subdivision 1.
    (b) The commissioner of human services must publish a table with the child care assistance
basic sliding fee amounts and update the table for changes to the basic sliding fee schedule by
July 1 of each year.
    Subd. 3. Determining costs. (a) The court must require verification of employment or
school attendance and documentation of child care expenses from the obligee and the public
authority, if applicable.
    (b) If child care expenses fluctuate during the year because of the obligee's seasonal
employment or school attendance or extended periods of parenting time with the obligor, the court
must determine child care expenses based on an average monthly cost.
    (c) The amount allocated for child care expenses is considered child support but is not
subject to a cost-of-living adjustment under section 518A.515.
    (d) The court may allow the parent with whom the joint child does not reside to care for
the joint child while the parent with whom the joint child resides is working or attending school,
as provided in section 518.175, subdivision 8. Allowing the parent with whom the joint child
does not reside to care for the joint child under section 518.175, subdivision 8, is not a reason to
deviate from the guidelines.
    Subd. 4. Change in child care. (a) When a court order provides for child care expenses
and the public authority provides child support enforcement services, the public authority must
suspend collecting the amount allocated for child care expenses when:
    (1) either party informs the public authority that no child care costs are being incurred; and
    (2) the public authority verifies the accuracy of the information with the other party.
The public authority will resume collecting child care expenses when either party provides
information that child care costs have resumed.
    (b) If the parties provide conflicting information to the public authority regarding whether
child care expenses are being incurred, the public authority will continue or resume collecting
child care expenses. Either party, by motion to the court, may challenge the suspension or
resumption of the collection of child care expenses. If the public authority suspends collection
activities for the amount allocated for child care expenses, all other provisions of the court order
remain in effect.
    (c) In cases where there is a substantial increase or decrease in child care expenses, the
parties may modify the order under section 518A.39.
History: 2005 c 164 s 23,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 38,39

518A.41 MEDICAL SUPPORT.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. The definitions in this subdivision apply to this chapter and
chapter 518.
    (a) "Health care coverage" means health care benefits that are provided by a health plan.
Health care coverage does not include any form of medical assistance under chapter 256B or
MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L.
    (b) "Health carrier" means a carrier as defined in sections 62A.011, subdivision 2, and
62L.02, subdivision 16.
    (c) "Health plan" means a plan meeting the definition under section 62A.011, subdivision 3,
a group health plan governed under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (ERISA), a self-insured plan under sections 43A.23 to 43A.317 and 471.617, or a policy,
contract, or certificate issued by a community-integrated service network licensed under chapter
62N. Health plan includes plans:
    (1) provided on an individual and group basis;
    (2) provided by an employer or union;
    (3) purchased in the private market; and
    (4) available to a person eligible to carry insurance for the joint child.
Health plan includes a plan providing for dependent-only dental or vision coverage and a plan
provided through a party's spouse or parent.
    (d) "Medical support" means providing 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.
    (e) "National medical support notice" means an administrative notice issued by the public
authority to enforce health insurance provisions of a support order in accordance with Code of
Federal Regulations, title 45, section 303.32, in cases where the public authority provides support
enforcement services.
    (f) "Public coverage" means health care benefits provided by any form of medical assistance
under chapter 256B or MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L.
    (g) "Uninsured medical expenses" means a joint child's reasonable and necessary
health-related expenses if the joint child is not covered by a health plan or public coverage when
the expenses are incurred.
    (h) "Unreimbursed medical expenses" means a joint child's reasonable and necessary
health-related expenses if a joint child is covered by a health plan or public coverage and the plan
or coverage does not pay for the total cost of the expenses when the expenses are incurred.
Unreimbursed medical expenses do not include the cost of premiums. Unreimbursed medical
expenses include, but are not limited to, deductibles, co-payments, and expenses for orthodontia,
and prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses, but not over-the-counter medications if coverage
is under a health plan.
    Subd. 2. Order. (a) A completed national medical support notice issued by the public
authority or a court order that complies with this section is a qualified medical child support order
under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), United States
Code, title 29, section 1169(a).
    (b) Every order addressing child support must state:
    (1) the names, last known addresses, and Social Security numbers of the parents and the
joint child that is a subject of the order unless the court prohibits the inclusion of an address or
Social Security number and orders the parents to provide the address and Social Security number
to the administrator of the health plan;
    (2) whether appropriate health care coverage for the joint child is available and, if so, state:
    (i) which parent must carry health care coverage;
    (ii) the cost of premiums and how the cost is allocated between the parents;
    (iii) how unreimbursed expenses will be allocated and collected by the parents; and
    (iv) the circumstances, if any, under which the obligation to provide health care coverage
for the joint child will shift from one parent to the other; and
    (3) if appropriate health care coverage is not available for the joint child, whether a
contribution for medical support is required.
    Subd. 3. Determining appropriate health care coverage. (a) In determining whether a
parent has appropriate health care coverage for the joint child, the court must evaluate the health
plan using the following factors:
    (1) accessible coverage. Dependent health care coverage is accessible if the covered joint
child can obtain services from a health plan provider with reasonable effort by the parent with
whom the joint child resides. Health care coverage is presumed accessible if:
    (i) primary care coverage is available within 30 minutes or 30 miles of the joint child's
residence and specialty care coverage is available within 60 minutes or 60 miles of the joint
child's residence;
    (ii) the coverage is available through an employer and the employee can be expected to
remain employed for a reasonable amount of time; and
    (iii) no preexisting conditions exist to delay coverage unduly;
    (2) comprehensive coverage. Dependent health care coverage is presumed comprehensive
if it includes medical and hospital coverage and provides for preventive, emergency, acute, and
chronic care. If both parents have health care coverage that meets the minimum requirements,
the court must determine which health care coverage is more comprehensive by considering
whether the coverage includes:
    (i) basic dental coverage;
    (ii) orthodontia;
    (iii) eyeglasses;
    (iv) contact lenses;
    (v) mental health services; or
    (vi) substance abuse treatment;
    (3) affordable coverage. Dependent health care coverage is affordable if it is reasonable in
cost; and
    (4) the joint child's special medical needs, if any.
    (b) If both parents have health care coverage available for a joint child, and the court
determines under paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), that the available coverage is comparable
with regard to accessibility and comprehensiveness, the least costly health care coverage is the
presumed appropriate health care coverage for the joint child.
    Subd. 4. Ordering health care coverage. (a) If a joint child is presently enrolled in health
care coverage, the court must order that the parent who currently has the joint child enrolled
continue that enrollment unless the parents agree otherwise or a parent requests a change in
coverage and the court determines that other health care coverage is more appropriate.
    (b) If a joint child is not presently enrolled in health care coverage, upon motion of a parent
or the public authority, the court must determine whether one or both parents have appropriate
health care coverage for the joint child and order the parent with appropriate health care coverage
available to carry the coverage for the joint child.
    (c) If only one parent has appropriate health care coverage available, the court must order
that parent to carry the coverage for the joint child.
    (d) If both parents have appropriate health care coverage available, the court must order the
parent with whom the joint child resides to carry the coverage for the joint child, unless:
    (1) either parent expresses a preference for coverage available through the parent with
whom the joint child does not reside;
    (2) the parent with whom the joint child does not reside is already carrying dependent health
care coverage for other children and the cost of contributing to the premiums of the other parent's
coverage would cause the parent with whom the joint child does not reside extreme hardship; or
    (3) the parents agree to provide coverage and agree on the allocation of costs.
    (e) If the exception in paragraph (d), clause (1) or (2), applies, the court must determine
which parent has the most appropriate coverage available and order that parent to carry coverage
for the joint child. If the court determines under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2),
that the parents' health care coverage for the joint child is comparable with regard to accessibility
and comprehensiveness, the court must presume that the parent with the least costly health care
coverage to carry coverage for the joint child.
    (f) If neither parent has appropriate health care coverage available, the court must order
the parents to:
    (1) contribute toward the actual health care costs of the joint children based on a pro rata
share; or
    (2) if the joint child is receiving any form of medical assistance under chapter 256B or
MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, the parent with whom the joint child does not reside shall
contribute a monthly amount toward the actual cost of medical assistance under chapter 256B or
MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L. The amount of contribution of the noncustodial parent is the
amount the noncustodial parent would pay for the child's premiums if the noncustodial parent's
PICS income meets the eligibility requirements for public coverage. For purposes of determining
the premium amount, the noncustodial parent's household size is equal to one parent plus the
child or children who are the subject of the child support order. If the noncustodial parent's
PICS income exceeds the eligibility requirements for public coverage, the court must order
the noncustodial parent's contribution toward the full premium cost of the child's or children's
coverage. The custodial parent's obligation is determined under the requirements for public
coverage as set forth in chapter 256B or 256L. The court may order the parent with whom the
child resides to apply for public coverage for the child.
    (g) The commissioner of human services must publish a table with the premium schedule for
public coverage and update the chart for changes to the schedule by July 1 of each year.
    Subd. 5. Medical support costs; unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses. (a)
Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and approved by the court, the court must order that
the cost of health care coverage and all unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses under the
health plan be divided between the obligor and obligee based on their proportionate share of
the parties' combined monthly PICS.
    (b) If a party owes a joint child support obligation for a child and is ordered to carry health
care coverage for the joint child, and the other party is ordered to contribute to the carrying party's
cost for coverage, the carrying party's child support payment must be reduced by the amount of
the contributing party's contribution.
    (c) If a party owes a joint child support obligation for a child and is ordered to contribute to
the other party's cost for carrying health care coverage for the joint child, the contributing party's
child support payment must be increased by the amount of the contribution.
    (d) If the party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child already carries
dependent health care coverage for other dependents and would incur no additional premium
costs to add the joint child to the existing coverage, the court must not order the other party to
contribute to the premium costs for coverage of the joint child.
    (e) If a party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child does not already carry
dependent health care coverage but has other dependents who may be added to the ordered
coverage, the full premium costs of the dependent health care coverage must be allocated between
the parties in proportion to the party's share of the parties' combined PICS, unless the parties
agree otherwise.
    (f) If a party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child is required to enroll in a
health plan so that the joint child can be enrolled in dependent health care coverage under the
plan, the court must allocate the costs of the dependent health care coverage between the parties.
The costs of the health care coverage for the party ordered to carry the coverage for the joint
child must not be allocated between the parties.
    Subd. 6. Notice or court order sent to party's employer, union, or health carrier. (a) The
public authority must forward a copy of the national medical support notice or court order for
health care coverage to the party's employer within two business days after the date the party is
entered into the work reporting system under section 256.998.
    (b) The public authority or a party seeking to enforce an order for health care coverage must
forward a copy of the national medical support notice or court order to the obligor's employer or
union, or to the health carrier under the following circumstances:
    (1) the party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child fails to provide written
proof to the other party or the public authority, within 30 days of the effective date of the court
order, that the party has applied for health care coverage for the joint child;
    (2) the party seeking to enforce the order or the public authority gives written notice to the
party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child of its intent to enforce medical
support. The party seeking to enforce the order or public authority must mail the written notice to
the last known address of the party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child; and
    (3) the party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child fails, within 15 days
after the date on which the written notice under clause (2) was mailed, to provide written proof
to the other party or the public authority that the party has applied for health care coverage for
the joint child.
    (c) The public authority is not required to forward a copy of the national medical support
notice or court order to the obligor's employer or union, or to the health carrier, if the court orders
health care coverage for the joint child that is not employer-based or union-based coverage.
    Subd. 7. Employer or union requirements. (a) An employer or union must forward the
national medical support notice or court order to its health plan within 20 business days after the
date on the national medical support notice or after receipt of the court order.
    (b) Upon determination by an employer's or union's health plan administrator that a joint
child is eligible to be covered under the health plan, the employer or union and health plan must
enroll the joint child as a beneficiary in the health plan, and the employer must withhold any
required premiums from the income or wages of the party ordered to carry health care coverage
for the joint child.
    (c) If enrollment of the party ordered to carry health care coverage for a joint child is
necessary to obtain dependent health care coverage under the plan, and the party is not enrolled in
the health plan, the employer or union must enroll the party in the plan.
    (d) Enrollment of dependents and, if necessary, the party ordered to carry health care
coverage for the joint child must be immediate and not dependent upon open enrollment periods.
Enrollment is not subject to the underwriting policies under section 62A.048.
    (e) Failure of the party ordered to carry health care coverage for the joint child to execute
any documents necessary to enroll the dependent in the health plan does not affect the obligation
of the employer or union and health plan to enroll the dependent in a plan. Information and
authorization provided by the public authority, or by a party or guardian, is valid for the purposes
of meeting enrollment requirements of the health plan.
    (f) An employer or union that is included under the federal Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), United States Code, title 29, section 1169(a), may not deny
enrollment to the joint child or to the parent if necessary to enroll the joint child based on
exclusionary clauses described in section 62A.048.
    (g) A new employer or union of a party who is ordered to provide health care coverage for a
joint child must enroll the joint child in the party's health plan as required by a national medical
support notice or court order.
    Subd. 8. Health plan requirements. (a) If a health plan administrator receives a completed
national medical support notice or court order, the plan administrator must notify the parties, and
the public authority if the public authority provides support enforcement services, within 40
business days after the date of the notice or after receipt of the court order, of the following:
    (1) whether coverage is available to the joint child under the terms of the health plan and, if
not, the reason why coverage is not available;
    (2) whether the joint child is covered under the health plan;
    (3) the effective date of the joint child's coverage under the health plan; and
    (4) what steps, if any, are required to effectuate the joint child's coverage under the health
plan.
    (b) If the employer or union offers more than one plan and the national medical support notice
or court order does not specify the plan to be carried, the plan administrator must notify the parents
and the public authority if the public authority provides support enforcement services. When there
is more than one option available under the plan, the public authority, in consultation with the
parent with whom the joint child resides, must promptly select from available plan options.
    (c) The plan administrator must provide the parents and public authority, if the public
authority provides support enforcement services, with a notice of the joint child's enrollment,
description of the coverage, and any documents necessary to effectuate coverage.
    (d) The health plan must send copies of all correspondence regarding the health care
coverage to the parents.
    (e) An insured joint child's parent's signature is a valid authorization to a health plan for
purposes of processing an insurance reimbursement payment to the medical services provider or
to the parent, if medical services have been prepaid by that parent.
    Subd. 9. Employer or union liability. (a) An employer or union that willfully fails to comply
with the order or notice is liable for any uninsured medical expenses incurred by the dependents
while the dependents were eligible to be enrolled in the health plan and for any other premium
costs incurred because the employer or union willfully failed to comply with the order or notice.
    (b) An employer or union that fails to comply with the order or notice is subject to a contempt
finding, a $250 civil penalty under section 518A.73, and is subject to a civil penalty of $500 to be
paid to the party entitled to reimbursement or the public authority. Penalties paid to the public
authority are designated for child support enforcement services.
    Subd. 10. Contesting enrollment. (a) A party may contest a joint child's enrollment in a
health plan on the limited grounds that the enrollment is improper due to mistake of fact or that
the enrollment meets the requirements of section 518.145.
    (b) If the party chooses to contest the enrollment, the party must do so no later than 15 days
after the employer notifies the party of the enrollment by doing the following:
    (1) filing a motion in district court or according to section 484.702 and the expedited child
support process rules if the public authority provides support enforcement services;
    (2) serving the motion on the other party and public authority if the public authority provides
support enforcement services; and
    (3) securing a date for the matter to be heard no later than 45 days after the notice of
enrollment.
    (c) The enrollment must remain in place while the party contests the enrollment.
    Subd. 11. Disenrollment; continuation of coverage; coverage options. (a) Unless a court
order provides otherwise, a child for whom a party is required to provide health care coverage
under this section must be covered as a dependent of the party until the child is emancipated, until
further order of the court, or as consistent with the terms of the coverage.
    (b) The health carrier, employer, or union may not disenroll or eliminate coverage for the
child unless:
    (1) the health carrier, employer, or union is provided satisfactory written evidence that the
court order is no longer in effect;
    (2) the joint child is or will be enrolled in comparable health care coverage through another
health plan that will take effect no later than the effective date of the disenrollment;
    (3) the employee is no longer eligible for dependent coverage; or
    (4) the required premium has not been paid by or on behalf of the joint child.
    (c) The health plan must provide 30 days' written notice to the joint child's parents, and the
public authority if the public authority provides support enforcement services, before the health
plan disenrolls or eliminates the joint child's coverage.
    (d) A joint child enrolled in health care coverage under a qualified medical child support
order, including a national medical support notice, under this section is a dependent and a
qualified beneficiary under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act of 1985
(COBRA), Public Law 99-272. Upon expiration of the order, the joint child is entitled to the
opportunity to elect continued coverage that is available under the health plan. The employer or
union must provide notice to the parties and the public authority, if it provides support services,
within ten days of the termination date.
    (e) If the public authority provides support enforcement services and a plan administrator
reports to the public authority that there is more than one coverage option available under the
health plan, the public authority, in consultation with the parent with whom the joint child resides,
must promptly select coverage from the available options.
    Subd. 12. Spousal or former spousal coverage. The court must require the parent with
whom the joint child does not reside to provide dependent health care coverage for the benefit of
the parent with whom the joint child resides if the parent is ordered to provide dependent health
care coverage for the parties' joint child and adding the other parent to the coverage results in
no additional premium cost.
    Subd. 13. Disclosure of information. (a) If the public authority provides support
enforcement services, the parties must provide the public authority with the following information:
    (1) information relating to dependent health care coverage or public coverage available for
the benefit of the joint child for whom support is sought, including all information required to be
included in a medical support order under this section;
    (2) verification that application for court-ordered health care coverage was made within 30
days of the court's order; and
    (3) the reason that a joint child is not enrolled in court-ordered health care coverage, if a joint
child is not enrolled in coverage or subsequently loses coverage.
    (b) Upon request from the public authority under section 256.978, an employer, union, or
plan administrator, including an employer subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), United States Code, title 29, section 1169(a), must provide the
public authority the following information:
    (1) information relating to dependent health care coverage available to a party for the benefit
of the joint child for whom support is sought, including all information required to be included in
a medical support order under this section; and
    (2) information that will enable the public authority to determine whether a health plan
is appropriate for a joint child, including, but not limited to, all available plan options, any
geographic service restrictions, and the location of service providers.
    (c) The employer, union, or plan administrator must not release information regarding one
party to the other party. The employer, union, or plan administrator must provide both parties with
insurance identification cards and all necessary written information to enable the parties to utilize
the insurance benefits for the covered dependent.
    (d) The public authority is authorized to release to a party's employer, union, or health plan
information necessary to verify availability of dependent health care coverage, or to establish,
modify, or enforce medical support.
    (e) An employee must disclose to an employer if medical support is required to be withheld
under this section and the employer must begin withholding according to the terms of the order
and under section 518A.53. If an employee discloses an obligation to obtain health care coverage
and coverage is available through the employer, the employer must make all application processes
known to the individual and enroll the employee and dependent in the plan.
    Subd. 14. Child support enforcement services. The public authority must take necessary
steps to establish and enforce an order for medical support if the joint child receives public
assistance or a party completes an application for services from the public authority under section
518A.51.
    Subd. 15. Enforcement. (a) Remedies available for collecting and enforcing child support
apply to medical support.
    (b) For the purpose of enforcement, the following are additional support:
    (1) the costs of individual or group health or hospitalization coverage;
    (2) dental coverage;
    (3) medical costs ordered by the court to be paid by either party, including health and dental
insurance premiums paid by the obligee because of the obligor's failure to obtain coverage as
ordered; and
    (4) liabilities established under this subdivision.
    (c) A party who fails to carry court-ordered dependent health care coverage is liable for the
joint child's uninsured medical expenses unless a court order provides otherwise. A party's failure
to carry court-ordered coverage, or to provide other medical support as ordered, is a basis for
modification of a support order under section 518A.39, subdivision 2.
    (d) Payments by the health carrier or employer for services rendered to the dependents that
are directed to a party not owed reimbursement must be endorsed over to and forwarded to the
vendor or appropriate party or the public authority. A party retaining insurance reimbursement not
owed to the party is liable for the amount of the reimbursement.
    Subd. 16. Offset. (a) If a party is the parent with primary physical custody as defined in
section 518A.26, subdivision 17, and is an obligor ordered to contribute to the other party's cost
for carrying health care coverage for the joint child, the other party's child support obligation is
subject to an offset under subdivision 5.
(b) The public authority, if the public authority provides services, may remove the offset to a
party's child support obligation when:
(1) the party's court-ordered health care coverage for the joint child terminates;
(2) the party does not enroll the joint child in other health care coverage; and
(3) a modification motion is not pending.
The public authority must provide notice to the parties of the action.
    (c) A party may contest the public authority's action to remove the offset to the child support
obligation if the party makes a written request for a hearing within 30 days after receiving written
notice. If a party makes a timely request for a hearing, the public authority must schedule a
hearing and send written notice of the hearing to the parties by mail to the parties' last known
addresses at least 14 days before the hearing. The hearing must be conducted in district court
or in the expedited child support process if section 484.702 applies. The district court or child
support magistrate must determine whether removing the offset is appropriate and, if appropriate,
the effective date for the removal.
    (d) If the party does not request a hearing, the public authority will remove the offset
effective the first day of the month following termination of the joint child's health care coverage.
    Subd. 17. Collecting unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses. (a) This subdivision
and subdivision 18 apply when a court order has determined and ordered the parties' proportionate
share and responsibility to contribute to unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses.
(b) A party requesting reimbursement of unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses must
initiate a request to the other party within two years of the date that the requesting party incurred
the unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses. If a court order has been signed ordering the
contribution towards unreimbursed or uninsured expenses, a two-year limitations provision
must be applied to any requests made on or after January 1, 2007. The provisions of this section
apply retroactively to court orders signed before January 1, 2007. Requests for unreimbursed or
uninsured expenses made on or after January 1, 2007, may include expenses incurred before
January 1, 2007, and on or after January 1, 2005.
    (c) A requesting party must mail a written notice of intent to collect the unreimbursed or
uninsured medical expenses and a copy of an affidavit of health care expenses to the other party at
the other party's last known address.
    (d) The written notice must include a statement that the other party has 30 days from the
date the notice was mailed to (1) pay in full; (2) agree to a payment schedule; or (3) file a motion
requesting a hearing to contest the amount due or to set a court-ordered monthly payment amount.
If the public authority provides services, the written notice also must include a statement that, if
the other party does not respond within the 30 days, the requesting party may submit the amount
due to the public authority for collection.
    (e) The affidavit of health care expenses must itemize and document the joint child's
unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses and include copies of all bills, receipts, and
insurance company explanations of benefits.
(f) If the other party does not respond to the request for reimbursement within 30 days, the
requesting party may commence enforcement against the other party under subdivision 18; file a
motion for a court-ordered monthly payment amount under paragraph (i); or notify the public
authority, if the public authority provides services, that the other party has not responded.
    (g) The notice to the public authority must include: a copy of the written notice, a copy of
the affidavit of health care expenses, and copies of all bills, receipts, and insurance company
explanations of benefits.
    (h) If noticed under paragraph (f), the public authority must serve the other party with a
notice of intent to enforce unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses and file an affidavit of
service by mail with the district court administrator. The notice must state that the other party has
14 days to (1) pay in full; or (2) file a motion to contest the amount due or to set a court-ordered
monthly payment amount. The notice must also state that if there is no response within 14 days,
the public authority will commence enforcement of the expenses as arrears under subdivision 18.
    (i) To contest the amount due or set a court-ordered monthly payment amount, a party
must file a timely motion and schedule a hearing in district court or in the expedited child
support process if section 484.702 applies. The moving party must provide the other party and
the public authority, if the public authority provides services, with written notice at least 14 days
before the hearing by mailing notice of the hearing to the public authority and to the requesting
party at the requesting party's last known address. The moving party must file the affidavit of
health care expenses with the court at least five days before the hearing. The district court or
child support magistrate must determine liability for the expenses and order that the liable party
is subject to enforcement of the expenses as arrears under subdivision 18 or set a court-ordered
monthly payment amount.
    Subd. 18. Enforcing unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses as arrears. (a)
Unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses enforced under this subdivision are collected
as arrears.
(b) If the liable party is the parent with primary physical custody as defined in section
518A.26, subdivision 17, the unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses must be deducted from
any arrears the requesting party owes the liable party. If unreimbursed or uninsured expenses
remain after the deduction, the expenses must be collected as follows:
(1) If the requesting party owes a current child support obligation to the liable party, 20
percent of each payment received from the requesting party must be returned to the requesting
party. The total amount returned to the requesting party each month must not exceed 20 percent of
the current monthly support obligation.
(2) If the requesting party does not owe current child support or arrears, a payment
agreement under section 518A.69 is required. If the liable party fails to enter into or comply
with a payment agreement, the requesting party or the public authority, if the public authority
provides services, may schedule a hearing to set a court-ordered payment. The requesting party
or the public authority must provide the liable party with written notice of the hearing at least
14 days before the hearing.
(c) If the liable party is not the parent with primary physical custody as defined in section
518A.26, subdivision 17, the unreimbursed or uninsured medical expenses must be deducted from
any arrears the requesting party owes the liable party. If unreimbursed or uninsured expenses
remain after the deduction, the expenses must be added and collected as arrears owed by the
liable party.
History: 2005 c 164 s 22,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 26,28; 2006 c 280 s 32-37

518A.42 ABILITY TO PAY; SELF-SUPPORT ADJUSTMENT.
    Subdivision 1. Ability to pay. (a) It is a rebuttable presumption that a child support order
should not exceed the obligor's ability to pay. To determine the amount of child support the
obligor has the ability to pay, the court shall follow the procedure set out in this section.
    (b) The court shall calculate the obligor's income available for support by subtracting a
monthly self-support reserve equal to 120 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for one person
from the obligor's gross income. If the obligor's income available for support calculated under
this paragraph is equal to or greater than the obligor's support obligation calculated under section
518A.34, the court shall order child support under section 518A.34.
    (c) If the obligor's income available for support calculated under paragraph (b) is more than
the minimum support amount under subdivision 2, but less than the guideline amount under
section 518A.34, then the court shall apply a reduction to the child support obligation in the
following order, until the support order is equal to the obligor's income available for support:
    (1) medical support obligation;
    (2) child care support obligation; and
    (3) basic support obligation.
(d) If the obligor's income available for support calculated under paragraph (b) is equal to
or less than the minimum support amount under subdivision 2 or if the obligor's gross income
is less than 120 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for one person, the minimum support
amount under subdivision 2 applies.
    Subd. 2. Minimum basic support amount. (a) If the basic support amount applies, the court
must order the following amount as the minimum basic support obligation:
    (1) for one or two children, the obligor's basic support obligation is $50 per month;
    (2) for three or four children, the obligor's basic support obligation is $75 per month; and
    (3) for five or more children, the obligor's basic support obligation is $100 per month.
(b) If the court orders the obligor to pay the minimum basic support amount under this
subdivision, the obligor is presumed unable to pay child care support and medical support.
If the court finds the obligor receives no income and completely lacks the ability to earn income,
the minimum basic support amount under this subdivision does not apply.
    Subd. 3. Exception. This section does not apply to an obligor who is incarcerated.
History: 2005 c 164 s 25,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 26,28; 2006 c 280 s 41

518A.43 DEVIATIONS FROM CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES.
    Subdivision 1. General factors. Among other reasons, deviation from the presumptive child
support obligation computed under section 518A.34 is intended to encourage prompt and regular
payments of child support and to prevent either parent or the joint children from living in poverty.
In addition to the child support guidelines and other factors used to calculate the child support
obligation under section 518A.34, the court must take into consideration the following factors in
setting or modifying child support or in determining whether to deviate upward or downward
from the presumptive child support obligation:
    (1) all earnings, income, circumstances, and resources of each parent, including real and
personal property, but excluding income from excess employment of the obligor or obligee that
meets the criteria of section 518A.29, paragraph (b);
    (2) the extraordinary financial needs and resources, physical and emotional condition, and
educational needs of the child to be supported;
    (3) the standard of living the child would enjoy if the parents were currently living together,
but recognizing that the parents now have separate households;
    (4) which parent receives the income taxation dependency exemption and the financial
benefit the parent receives from it;
    (5) the parents' debts as provided in subdivision 2; and
    (6) the obligor's total payments for court-ordered child support exceed the limitations set
forth in section 571.922.
    Subd. 2. Debt owed to private creditors. (a) In establishing or modifying a support
obligation, the court may consider debts owed to private creditors, but only if:
    (1) the right to support has not been assigned under section 256.741;
    (2) the court determines that the debt was reasonably incurred for necessary support of
the child or parent or for the necessary generation of income. If the debt was incurred for the
necessary generation of income, the court may consider only the amount of debt that is essential
to the continuing generation of income; and
    (3) the party requesting a departure produces a sworn schedule of the debts, with supporting
documentation, showing goods or services purchased, the recipient of them, the original debt
amount, the outstanding balance, the monthly payment, and the number of months until the
debt will be fully paid.
    (b) A schedule prepared under paragraph (a), clause (3), must contain a statement that the
debt will be fully paid after the number of months shown in the schedule, barring emergencies
beyond the party's control.
    (c) Any further departure below the guidelines that is based on a consideration of debts owed
to private creditors must not exceed 18 months in duration. After 18 months the support must
increase automatically to the level ordered by the court. This section does not prohibit one or
more step increases in support to reflect debt retirement during the 18-month period.
    (d) If payment of debt is ordered pursuant to this section, the payment must be ordered
to be in the nature of child support.
    Subd. 3. Evidence. The court may receive evidence on the factors in this section to determine
if the guidelines should be exceeded or modified in a particular case.
    Subd. 4. Payments assigned to public authority. If the child support payments are assigned
to the public authority under section 256.741, the court may not deviate downward from the child
support guidelines unless the court specifically finds that the failure to deviate downward would
impose an extreme hardship on the obligor.
    Subd. 5. Joint legal custody. An award of joint legal custody is not a reason for deviation
from the guidelines.
    Subd. 6. Self-support limitation. If, after payment of income and payroll taxes, the obligor
can establish that they do not have enough for the self-support reserve, a downward deviation
may be allowed.
History: 2005 c 164 s 17,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 28

518A.44 NOTICE TO PUBLIC AUTHORITY.
    The petitioner shall notify the public authority of all proceedings for dissolution, legal
separation, determination of parentage or for the custody of a child, if either party is receiving
public assistance or applies for it subsequent to the commencement of the proceeding. The
notice must contain the full names of the parties to the proceeding, their Social Security account
numbers, and their birth dates. After receipt of the notice, the court shall set child support as
provided in section 518A.35. The court may order either or both parents owing a duty of support
to a child of the marriage to pay an amount reasonable or necessary for the child's support,
without regard to marital misconduct. The court shall approve a child support stipulation of
the parties if each party is represented by independent counsel, unless the stipulation does not
meet the conditions of section 518A.35. In other cases the court shall determine and order child
support in a specific dollar amount in accordance with the guidelines and the other factors set
forth in section 518A.43 and any departure therefrom. The court may also order the obligor to
pay child support in the form of a percentage share of the obligor's net bonuses, commissions, or
other forms of compensation, in addition to, or if the obligor receives no base pay, in lieu of, an
order for a specific dollar amount.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.45 FAILURE OF NOTICE.
If the court in a dissolution, legal separation or determination of parentage proceeding, finds
before issuing the order for judgment and decree, that notification has not been given to the public
authority, the court shall set child support as provided in section 518A.35. In those proceedings
in which no notification has been made pursuant to section 518A.44 and in which the public
authority determines that the judgment is lower than the child support required by the guidelines
in section 518A.35, it shall move the court for a redetermination of the support payments ordered
so that the support payments comply with the guidelines.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.46 PROCEDURES FOR CHILD AND MEDICAL SUPPORT ORDERS AND
PARENTAGE ORDERS IN THE EXPEDITED PROCESS.
    Subdivision 1. General. This section applies in cases in which support rights are assigned
under section 256.741, subdivision 2, or where the public authority is providing services under an
application for child support services.
    Subd. 2. Role of nonattorney employees; general provisions. (a) The county attorney shall
review and approve as to form and content all pleadings and other legal documents prepared by
nonattorney employees of the county agency for use in the expedited child support process.
(b) Under the direction of, and in consultation with, the county attorney, nonattorney
employees of the county agency shall have authority to perform the following legal duties:
(1) meet and confer with parties by mail, telephone, electronic, or other means regarding
legal issues;
(2) explain to parties the purpose, procedure, and function of the expedited child support
process and the role and authority of nonattorney employees of the county agency regarding
legal issues;
(3) prepare pleadings, including, but not limited to, summonses and complaints, notices,
motions, subpoenas, orders to show cause, proposed orders, administrative orders, and stipulations
and agreements;
(4) issue administrative subpoenas;
(5) prepare judicial notices;
(6) negotiate settlement agreements;
(7) attend and participate as a witness in hearings and other proceedings and, if requested by
the child support magistrate, present evidence, agreements and stipulations of the parties, and
any other information deemed appropriate by the magistrate;
(8) participate in such other activities and perform such other duties as delegated by the
county attorney; and
(9) exercise other powers and perform other duties as permitted by statute or court rule.
(c) Nonattorney employees of the county agency may perform the following duties without
direction from the county attorney:
(1) gather information on behalf of the public authority;
(2) prepare financial worksheets;
(3) obtain income information from the Department of Employment and Economic
Development and other sources;
(4) serve documents on parties;
(5) file documents with the court;
(6) meet and confer with parties by mail, telephone, electronic, or other means regarding
nonlegal issues;
(7) explain to parties the purpose, procedure, and function of the expedited child support
process and the role and authority of nonattorney employees of the county agency regarding
nonlegal issues; and
(8) perform such other routine nonlegal duties as assigned.
(d) Performance of the duties prescribed in paragraphs (b) and (c) by nonattorney employees
of the county agency does not constitute the unauthorized practice of law for purposes of section
481.02.
    Subd. 3. Contents of pleadings. (a) In cases involving establishment or modification of a
child support order, the initiating party shall include the following information, if known, in the
pleadings:
(1) names, addresses, and dates of birth of the parties;
(2) Social Security numbers of the parties and the minor children of the parties, which
information shall be considered private information and shall be available only to the parties,
the court, and the public authority;
(3) other support obligations of the obligor;
(4) names and addresses of the parties' employers;
(5) gross income of the parties as calculated in section 518A.29;
(6) amounts and sources of any other earnings and income of the parties;
(7) health insurance coverage of parties;
(8) types and amounts of public assistance received by the parties, including Minnesota
family investment plan, child care assistance, medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, title IV-E foster
care, or other form of assistance as defined in section 256.741, subdivision 1; and
(9) any other information relevant to the computation of the child support obligation under
section 518A.34.
(b) For all matters scheduled in the expedited process, whether or not initiated by the public
authority, the nonattorney employee of the public authority shall file with the court and serve on
the parties the following information:
(1) information pertaining to the income of the parties available to the public authority from
the Department of Employment and Economic Development;
(2) a statement of the monthly amount of child support, medical support, child care, and
arrears currently being charged the obligor on Minnesota IV-D cases;
(3) a statement of the types and amount of any public assistance, as defined in section
256.741, subdivision 1, received by the parties; and
(4) any other information relevant to the determination of support that is known to the public
authority and that has not been otherwise provided by the parties.
The information must be filed with the court or child support magistrate at least five days
before any hearing involving child support, medical support, or child care reimbursement issues.
    Subd. 4. Noncontested matters. Under the direction of the county attorney and based on
agreement of the parties, nonattorney employees may prepare a stipulation, findings of fact,
conclusions of law, and proposed order. The documents must be approved and signed by the
county attorney as to form and content before submission to the court or child support magistrate
for approval.
    Subd. 5. Administrative authority. (a) The public authority may take the following actions
relating to establishment of paternity or to establishment, modification, or enforcement of support
orders, without the necessity of obtaining an order from any judicial or administrative tribunal:
(1) recognize and enforce orders of child support agencies of other states;
(2) upon request for genetic testing by a child, parent, or any alleged parent, and using the
procedure in paragraph (b), order the child, parent, or alleged parent to submit to blood or genetic
testing for the purpose of establishing paternity;
(3) subpoena financial or other information needed to establish, modify, or enforce a child
support order and sanction a party for failure to respond to a subpoena;
(4) upon notice to the obligor, obligee, and the appropriate court, direct the obligor or other
payor to change the payee to the central collections unit under sections 518A.54 to 518A.56;
(5) order income withholding of child support under section 518A.53 and sanction an
employer or payor of funds pursuant to section 393.07, subdivision 9a, for failing to comply
with an income withholding notice;
(6) secure assets to satisfy the debt or arrearage in cases in which there is a support debt
or arrearage by:
(i) intercepting or seizing periodic or lump sum payments from state or local agencies,
including unemployment benefits, workers' compensation payments, judgments, settlements,
lotteries, and other lump sum payments;
(ii) attaching and seizing assets of the obligor held in financial institutions or public or
private retirement funds; and
(iii) imposing liens in accordance with section 548.091 and, in appropriate cases, forcing the
sale of property and the distribution of proceeds;
(7) for the purpose of securing overdue support, increase the amount of the monthly support
payments by an additional amount equal to 20 percent of the monthly support payment to include
amounts for debts or arrearages; and
(8) subpoena an employer or payor of funds to provide promptly information on the
employment, compensation, and benefits of an individual employed by that employer as an
employee or contractor, and sanction an employer or payor of funds pursuant to section 393.07,
subdivision 9a , for failure to respond to the subpoena.
(b) A request for genetic testing by a child, parent, or alleged parent must be supported by
a sworn statement by the person requesting genetic testing alleging paternity, which sets forth
facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the requisite sexual contact between the parties, or
denying paternity, and setting forth facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the nonexistence
of sexual contact between the alleged parties. The order for genetic tests may be served anywhere
within the state and served outside the state in the same manner as prescribed by law for service
of subpoenas issued by the district court of this state. If the child, parent, or alleged parent fails
to comply with the genetic testing order, the public authority may seek to enforce that order in
district court through a motion to compel testing. No results obtained through genetic testing done
in response to an order issued under this section may be used in any criminal proceeding.
(c) Subpoenas may be served anywhere within the state and served outside the state in the
same manner as prescribed by law for service of process of subpoenas issued by the district court
of this state. When a subpoena under this subdivision is served on a third-party recordkeeper,
written notice of the subpoena shall be mailed to the person who is the subject of the subpoenaed
material at the person's last known address within three days of the day the subpoena is served.
This notice provision does not apply if there is reasonable cause to believe the giving of the notice
may lead to interference with the production of the subpoenaed documents.
(d) A person served with a subpoena may make a written objection to the public authority or
court before the time specified in the subpoena for compliance. The public authority or the court
shall cancel or modify the subpoena, if appropriate. The public authority shall pay the reasonable
costs of producing the documents, if requested.
(e) Subpoenas are enforceable in the same manner as subpoenas of the district court. Upon
motion of the county attorney, the court may issue an order directing the production of the
records. Failure to comply with the court order may subject the person who fails to comply to
civil or criminal contempt of court.
(f) The administrative actions under this subdivision are subject to due process safeguards,
including requirements for notice, opportunity to contest the action, and opportunity to appeal the
order to the judge, judicial officer, or child support magistrate.
    Subd. 6. Sharing of information. The public authority may share available and relevant
information on the parties in order to perform its duties under this section or under Supreme Court
rules governing the expedited child support hearing process under section 484.702, subject to the
limitations of sections 256.87, subdivision 8; 257.70; and 518.005, subdivision 5.
History: 1999 c 107 s 66; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 7; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2000 c 403 s 1-3; 1Sp2001
c 9 art 12 s 8; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2004 c 206 s 52; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28;
2006 c 280 s 17

518A.47 PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES BY THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY.
    Subdivision 1. General. (a) The provision of services under the child support enforcement
program that includes services by an attorney or an attorney's representative employed by, under
contract to, or representing the public authority does not create an attorney-client relationship
with any party other than the public authority. Attorneys employed by or under contract with the
public authority have an affirmative duty to inform applicants and recipients of services under
the child support enforcement program that no attorney-client relationship exists between the
attorney and the applicant or recipient. This section applies to all legal services provided by the
child support enforcement program.
(b) The written notice must inform the individual applicant or recipient of services that no
attorney-client relationship exists between the attorney and the applicant or recipient; the rights of
the individual as a subject of data under section 13.04, subdivision 2; and that the individual has a
right to have an attorney represent the individual.
(c) Data disclosed by an applicant for, or recipient of, child support services to an attorney
employed by, or under contract with, the public authority is private data on an individual.
However, the data may be disclosed under section 13.46, subdivision 2, clauses (1) to (3) and
(6) to (19), under subdivision 2, and in order to obtain, modify or enforce child support, medical
support, and parentage determinations.
(d) An attorney employed by, or under contract with, the public authority may disclose
additional information received from an applicant for, or recipient of, services for other purposes
with the consent of the individual applicant for, or recipient of, child support services.
    Subd. 2. Access to address for service of process. (a) If there is an IV-D case as defined
in section 518A.26, a party may obtain an ex parte order under this subdivision. The party may
obtain an ex parte order requiring the public authority to serve legal documents on the other party
by mail if the party submits a sworn affidavit to the court stating that:
(1) the party needs to serve legal process in a support proceeding and does not have access to
the address of the other party;
(2) the party has made reasonable efforts to locate the other party; and
(3) the other party is not represented by counsel.
(b) The public authority shall serve legal documents provided by the moving party at the last
known address of the other party upon receipt of a court order under paragraph (a). The public
authority shall provide for appropriate service and shall certify to all parties the date of service by
mail. The public authority's proof of service must not include the place or address of service.
(c) The state court administrator shall prepare and make available forms for use in seeking
access to an address under this subdivision.
History: 1995 c 257 art 4 s 13; 2000 c 458 s 4; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.48 SUFFICIENCY OF NOTICE.
Automated child support notices sent by the public authority which do not require service are
sufficient notice when issued and mailed by first class mail to the person's last known address.
History: 1997 c 245 art 1 s 12; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.49 ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS; JUDGMENT.
(a) The public agency responsible for child support enforcement is joined as a party in each
case in which rights are assigned under section 256.741, subdivision 2. The court administrator
shall enter and docket a judgment obtained by operation of law under section 548.091,
subdivision 1 , in the name of the public agency to the extent that the obligation has been assigned.
When arrearages are reduced to judgment under circumstances in which section 548.091 is not
applicable, the court shall grant judgment in favor of, and in the name of, the public agency to
the extent that the arrearages are assigned. After filing notice of an assignment with the court
administrator, who shall enter the notice in the docket, the public agency may enforce a judgment
entered before the assignment of rights as if the judgment were granted to it, and in its name,
to the extent that the arrearages in that judgment are assigned.
(b) The public authority is a real party in interest in any IV-D case where there has been an
assignment of support. In all other IV-D cases, the public authority has a pecuniary interest, as
well as an interest in the welfare of the children involved in those cases. The public authority may
intervene as a matter of right in those cases to ensure that child support orders are obtained and
enforced which provide for an appropriate and accurate level of child, medical, and child care
support. If the public authority participates in an IV-D case where the action taken by the public
authority requires the use of an attorney's services, the public authority shall be represented by
an attorney consistent with the provisions in section 518A.47.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.50 PAYMENT TO PUBLIC AGENCY.
(a) This section applies to all proceedings involving a support order, including, but not limited
to, a support order establishing an order for past support or reimbursement of public assistance.
(b) The court shall direct that all payments ordered for maintenance or support be made to
the public authority responsible for child support enforcement so long as the obligee is receiving
or has applied for public assistance, or has applied for child support or maintenance collection
services. Public authorities responsible for child support enforcement may act on behalf of other
public authorities responsible for child support enforcement, including the authority to represent
the legal interests of or execute documents on behalf of the other public authority in connection
with the establishment, enforcement, and collection of child support, maintenance, or medical
support, and collection on judgments.
(c) Payments made to the public authority other than payments under section 518A.53 must
be credited as of the date the payment is received by the central collections unit.
(d) Monthly amounts received by the public agency responsible for child support
enforcement from the obligor that are greater than the monthly amount of public assistance
granted to the obligee must be remitted to the obligee.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.51 FEES FOR IV-D SERVICES.
(a) When a recipient of IV-D services is no longer receiving assistance under the state's title
IV-A, IV-E foster care, medical assistance, or MinnesotaCare programs, the public authority
responsible for child support enforcement must notify the recipient, within five working days of
the notification of ineligibility, that IV-D services will be continued unless the public authority is
notified to the contrary by the recipient. The notice must include the implications of continuing
to receive IV-D services, including the available services and fees, cost recovery fees, and
distribution policies relating to fees.
(b) An application fee of $25 shall be paid by the person who applies for child support and
maintenance collection services, except persons who are receiving public assistance as defined in
section 256.741 and the diversionary work program under section 256J.95, persons who transfer
from public assistance to nonpublic assistance status, and minor parents and parents enrolled in a
public secondary school, area learning center, or alternative learning program approved by the
commissioner of education.
(c) In the case of an individual who has never received assistance under a state program
funded under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act and for whom the public authority has
collected at least $500 of support, the public authority must impose an annual federal collections
fee of $25 for each case in which services are furnished. This fee must be retained by the public
authority from support collected on behalf of the individual, but not from the first $500 collected.
(d) When the public authority provides full IV-D services to an obligee who has applied
for those services, upon written notice to the obligee, the public authority must charge a cost
recovery fee of one percent of the amount collected. This fee must be deducted from the amount
of the child support and maintenance collected and not assigned under section 256.741 before
disbursement to the obligee. This fee does not apply to an obligee who:
(1) is currently receiving assistance under the state's title IV-A, IV-E foster care, medical
assistance, or MinnesotaCare programs; or
(2) has received assistance under the state's title IV-A or IV-E foster care programs, until the
person has not received this assistance for 24 consecutive months.
(e) When the public authority provides full IV-D services to an obligor who has applied for
such services, upon written notice to the obligor, the public authority must charge a cost recovery
fee of one percent of the monthly court-ordered child support and maintenance obligation. The
fee may be collected through income withholding, as well as by any other enforcement remedy
available to the public authority responsible for child support enforcement.
(f) Fees assessed by state and federal tax agencies for collection of overdue support owed
to or on behalf of a person not receiving public assistance must be imposed on the person for
whom these services are provided. The public authority upon written notice to the obligee shall
assess a fee of $25 to the person not receiving public assistance for each successful federal tax
interception. The fee must be withheld prior to the release of the funds received from each
interception and deposited in the general fund.
(g) Federal collections fees collected under paragraph (c) and cost recovery fees collected
under paragraphs (d) and (e) shall be considered child support program income according to Code
of Federal Regulations, title 45, section 304.50, and shall be deposited in the special revenue
fund account established under paragraph (i). The commissioner of human services must elect
to recover costs based on either actual or standardized costs.
(h) The limitations of this section on the assessment of fees shall not apply to the extent
inconsistent with the requirements of federal law for receiving funds for the programs under Title
IV-A and Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 601 to 613
and United States Code, title 42, sections 651 to 662.
(i) The commissioner of human services is authorized to establish a special revenue fund
account to receive the federal collections fees collected under paragraph (c) and cost recovery
fees collected under paragraphs (d) and (e). A portion of the nonfederal share of these fees may
be retained for expenditures necessary to administer the fees and must be transferred to the
child support system special revenue account. The remaining nonfederal share of the federal
collections fees and cost recovery fees must be retained by the commissioner and dedicated to the
child support general fund county performance-based grant account authorized under sections
256.979 and 256.9791.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.52 OVERPAYMENTS.
If child support or maintenance is not assigned under section 256.741, and an obligor has
overpaid a child support or maintenance obligation because of a modification or error in the
amount owed, the public authority shall:
(1) apply the amount of the overpayment to reduce the amount of any child support or
maintenance-related arrearages or debts owed to the obligee; and
(2) if an overpayment exists after the reduction of any arrearage or debt, reduce the amount
of the child support remitted to the obligee by an amount no greater than 20 percent of the
current monthly support or maintenance obligation and remit this amount to the obligor until
the overpayment is reduced to zero.
History: 1998 c 382 art 1 s 21; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.53 INCOME WITHHOLDING.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purpose of this section, the following terms have the
meanings provided in this subdivision unless otherwise stated.
(b) "Payor of funds" means any person or entity that provides funds to an obligor, including
an employer as defined under chapter 24 of the Internal Revenue Code, section 3401(d), an
independent contractor, payor of worker's compensation benefits or unemployment benefits, or a
financial institution as defined in section 13B.06.
(c) "Business day" means a day on which state offices are open for regular business.
(d) "Arrears" means amounts owed under a support order that are past due.
    Subd. 2. Application. This section applies to all support orders issued by a court or an
administrative tribunal and orders for or notices of withholding issued by the public authority.
    Subd. 3. Order. Every support order must address income withholding. Whenever a
support order is initially entered or modified, the full amount of the support order must be
subject to income withholding from the income of the obligor. If the obligee or obligor applies
for either full IV-D services or for income withholding only services from the public authority
responsible for child support enforcement, the full amount of the support order must be withheld
from the income of the obligor and forwarded to the public authority. Every order for support
or maintenance shall provide for a conspicuous notice of the provisions of this section that
complies with section 518.68, subdivision 2. An order without this notice remains subject to this
section. This section applies regardless of the source of income of the person obligated to pay
the support or maintenance.
A payor of funds shall implement income withholding according to this section upon receipt
of an order for or notice of withholding. The notice of withholding shall be on a form provided by
the commissioner of human services.
    Subd. 4. Collection services. (a) The commissioner of human services shall prepare and
make available to the courts a notice of services that explains child support and maintenance
collection services available through the public authority, including income withholding, and the
fees for such services. Upon receiving a petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation,
the court administrator shall promptly send the notice of services to the petitioner and respondent
at the addresses stated in the petition.
(b) Either the obligee or obligor may at any time apply to the public authority for either full
IV-D services or for income withholding only services.
(c) For those persons applying for income withholding only services, a monthly service
fee of $15 must be charged to the obligor. This fee is in addition to the amount of the support
order and shall be withheld through income withholding. The public authority shall explain the
service options in this section to the affected parties and encourage the application for full child
support collection services.
(d) If the obligee is not a current recipient of public assistance as defined in section 256.741,
the person who applied for services may at any time choose to terminate either full IV-D services
or income withholding only services regardless of whether income withholding is currently in
place. The obligee or obligor may reapply for either full IV-D services or income withholding
only services at any time. Unless the applicant is a recipient of public assistance as defined in
section 256.741, a $25 application fee shall be charged at the time of each application.
(e) When a person terminates IV-D services, if an arrearage for public assistance as defined
in section 256.741 exists, the public authority may continue income withholding, as well as use
any other enforcement remedy for the collection of child support, until all public assistance
arrears are paid in full. Income withholding shall be in an amount equal to 20 percent of the
support order in effect at the time the services terminated.
    Subd. 5. Payor of funds responsibilities. (a) An order for or notice of withholding is binding
on a payor of funds upon receipt. Withholding must begin no later than the first pay period that
occurs after 14 days following the date of receipt of the order for or notice of withholding. In
the case of a financial institution, preauthorized transfers must occur in accordance with a
court-ordered payment schedule.
(b) A payor of funds shall withhold from the income payable to the obligor the amount
specified in the order or notice of withholding and amounts specified under subdivisions 6 and 9
and shall remit the amounts withheld to the public authority within seven business days of the
date the obligor is paid the remainder of the income. The payor of funds shall include with the
remittance the Social Security number of the obligor, the case type indicator as provided by the
public authority and the date the obligor is paid the remainder of the income. The obligor is
considered to have paid the amount withheld as of the date the obligor received the remainder of
the income. A payor of funds may combine all amounts withheld from one pay period into one
payment to each public authority, but shall separately identify each obligor making payment.
(c) A payor of funds shall not discharge, or refuse to hire, or otherwise discipline an
employee as a result of wage or salary withholding authorized by this section. A payor of funds
shall be liable to the obligee for any amounts required to be withheld. A payor of funds that fails
to withhold or transfer funds in accordance with this section is also liable to the obligee for
interest on the funds at the rate applicable to judgments under section 549.09, computed from
the date the funds were required to be withheld or transferred. A payor of funds is liable for
reasonable attorney fees of the obligee or public authority incurred in enforcing the liability under
this paragraph. A payor of funds that has failed to comply with the requirements of this section
is subject to contempt sanctions under section 518A.73. If the payor of funds is an employer or
independent contractor and violates this subdivision, a court may award the obligor twice the
wages lost as a result of this violation. If a court finds a payor of funds violated this subdivision,
the court shall impose a civil fine of not less than $500. The liabilities in this paragraph apply to
intentional noncompliance with this section.
(d) If a single employee is subject to multiple withholding orders or multiple notices of
withholding for the support of more than one child, the payor of funds shall comply with all
of the orders or notices to the extent that the total amount withheld from the obligor's income
does not exceed the limits imposed under the Consumer Credit Protection Act, United States
Code, title 15, section 1673(b), giving priority to amounts designated in each order or notice as
current support as follows:
(1) if the total of the amounts designated in the orders for or notices of withholding as current
support exceeds the amount available for income withholding, the payor of funds shall allocate to
each order or notice an amount for current support equal to the amount designated in that order or
notice as current support, divided by the total of the amounts designated in the orders or notices as
current support, multiplied by the amount of the income available for income withholding; and
(2) if the total of the amounts designated in the orders for or notices of withholding as
current support does not exceed the amount available for income withholding, the payor of funds
shall pay the amounts designated as current support, and shall allocate to each order or notice
an amount for past due support, equal to the amount designated in that order or notice as past
due support, divided by the total of the amounts designated in the orders or notices as past due
support, multiplied by the amount of income remaining available for income withholding after the
payment of current support.
(e) When an order for or notice of withholding is in effect and the obligor's employment is
terminated, the obligor and the payor of funds shall notify the public authority of the termination
within ten days of the termination date. The termination notice shall include the obligor's home
address and the name and address of the obligor's new payor of funds, if known.
(f) A payor of funds may deduct one dollar from the obligor's remaining salary for each
payment made pursuant to an order for or notice of withholding under this section to cover the
expenses of withholding.
    Subd. 6. Financial institutions. (a) If income withholding is ineffective due to the obligor's
method of obtaining income, the court shall order the obligor to identify a child support deposit
account owned solely by the obligor, or to establish an account, in a financial institution located
in this state for the purpose of depositing court-ordered child support payments. The court shall
order the obligor to execute an agreement with the appropriate public authority for preauthorized
transfers from the obligor's child support account payable to an account of the public authority.
The court shall order the obligor to disclose to the court all deposit accounts owned by the obligor
in whole or in part in any financial institution. The court may order the obligor to disclose to the
court the opening or closing of any deposit account owned in whole or in part by the obligor
within 30 days of the opening or closing. The court may order the obligor to execute an agreement
with the appropriate public authority for preauthorized transfers from any deposit account owned
in whole or in part by the obligor to the obligor's child support deposit account if necessary
to satisfy court-ordered child support payments. The court may order a financial institution to
disclose to the court the account number and any other information regarding accounts owned
in whole or in part by the obligor. An obligor who fails to comply with this subdivision, fails to
deposit funds in at least one deposit account sufficient to pay court-ordered child support, or
stops payment or revokes authorization of any preauthorized transfer is subject to contempt of
court procedures under chapter 588.
(b) A financial institution shall execute preauthorized transfers for the deposit accounts of the
obligor in the amount specified in the order and amounts required under this section as directed by
the public authority. A financial institution is liable to the obligee if funds in any of the obligor's
deposit accounts identified in the court order equal the amount stated in the preauthorization
agreement but are not transferred by the financial institution in accordance with the agreement.
    Subd. 7. Subsequent income withholding. (a) This subdivision applies to support orders
that do not contain provisions for income withholding.
(b) For cases in which the public authority is providing child support enforcement services to
the parties, the income withholding under this subdivision shall take effect without prior judicial
notice to the obligor and without the need for judicial or administrative hearing. Withholding
shall result when:
(1) the obligor requests it in writing to the public authority;
(2) the obligee or obligor serves on the public authority a copy of the notice of income
withholding, a copy of the court's order, an application, and the fee to use the public authority's
collection services; or
(3) the public authority commences withholding according to section 518A.46, subdivision
5, paragraph (a), clause (5) .
(c) For cases in which the public authority is not providing child support services to the
parties, income withholding under this subdivision shall take effect when an obligee requests it
by making a written motion to the court and the court finds that previous support has not been
paid on a timely consistent basis or that the obligor has threatened expressly or otherwise to
stop or reduce payments.
(d) Within two days after the public authority commences withholding under this subdivision,
the public authority shall send to the obligor at the obligor's last known address, notice that
withholding has commenced. The notice shall include the information provided to the payor of
funds in the notice of withholding.
    Subd. 8. Contest. (a) The obligor may contest withholding under subdivision 7 on the
limited grounds that the withholding or the amount withheld is improper due to mistake of fact. If
the obligor chooses to contest the withholding, the obligor must do so no later than 15 days after
the employer commences withholding, upon proper motion pursuant to section 484.702 and the
rules of the expedited child support process.
(b) The income withholding must remain in place while the obligor contests the withholding.
(c) If the court finds a mistake in the amount of the arrearage to be withheld, the court shall
continue the income withholding, but it shall correct the amount of the arrearage to be withheld.
    Subd. 9. Priority. (a) An order for or notice of withholding under this section or execution or
garnishment upon a judgment for child support arrearage or preadjudicated expenses shall have
priority over an attachment, execution, garnishment, or wage assignment and shall not be subject
to the statutory limitations on amounts levied against the income of the obligor. Amounts withheld
from an employee's income must not exceed the maximum permitted under the Consumer Credit
Protection Act, title 15 of the United States Code, section 1673(b).
(b) If more than one order for or notice of withholding exists involving the same obligor and
child, the public authority shall enforce the most recent order or notice. An order for or notice of
withholding that was previously implemented according to this section shall end as of the date
of the most recent order. The public authority shall notify the payor of funds to withhold under
the most recent withholding order or notice.
    Subd. 10. Arrearage order. (a) This section does not prevent the court from ordering
the payor of funds to withhold amounts to satisfy the obligor's previous arrearage in support
order payments. This remedy shall not operate to exclude availability of other remedies to
enforce judgments. The employer or payor of funds shall withhold from the obligor's income an
additional amount equal to 20 percent of the monthly child support or maintenance obligation
until the arrearage is paid.
(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, funds from income sources included in section
518A.26, subdivision 8, whether periodic or lump sum, are not exempt from attachment or
execution upon a judgment for child support arrearage.
(c) Absent an order to the contrary, if an arrearage exists at the time a support order would
otherwise terminate, income withholding shall continue in effect or may be implemented in an
amount equal to the support order plus an additional 20 percent of the monthly child support
obligation, until all arrears have been paid in full.
    Subd. 11. Lump-sum payments. Before transmittal to the obligor of a lump-sum payment
of $500 or more including, but not limited to, severance pay, accumulated sick pay, vacation pay,
bonuses, commissions, or other pay or benefits, a payor of funds:
(1) who has been served with an order for or notice of income withholding under this section
shall:
(i) notify the public authority of the lump-sum payment that is to be paid to the obligor;
(ii) hold the lump-sum payment for 30 days after the date on which the lump-sum payment
would otherwise have been paid to the obligor, notwithstanding sections 176.221, 176.225,
176.521, 181.08, 181.101, 181.11, 181.13, and 181.145, and Minnesota Rules, part 1415.2000,
subpart 10; and
(iii) upon order of the court, and after a showing of past willful nonpayment of support, pay
any specified amount of the lump-sum payment to the public authority for future support; or
(2) shall pay the lessor of the amount of the lump-sum payment or the total amount of the
judgment and arrearages upon service by United States mail of a sworn affidavit from the public
authority or a court order that includes the following information:
(i) that a judgment entered pursuant to section 548.091, subdivision 1a, exists against the
obligor, or that other support arrearages exist;
(ii) the current balance of the judgment or arrearage; and
(iii) that a portion of the judgment or arrearage remains unpaid.
The Consumer Credit Protection Act, title 15 of the United States Code, section 1673(b),
does not apply to lump-sum payments.
    Subd. 12. Interstate income withholding. (a) Upon receipt of an order for support entered
in another state and the specified documentation from an authorized agency, the public authority
shall implement income withholding. A payor of funds in this state shall withhold income under
court orders for withholding issued by other states or territories.
(b) An employer receiving an income withholding notice from another state shall withhold
and distribute the funds as directed in the withholding notice and shall apply the law of the
obligor's principal place of employment when determining:
(1) the employer's fee for processing an income withholding notice;
(2) the maximum amount permitted to be withheld from the obligor's income; and
(3) deadlines for implementing and forwarding the child support payment.
(c) An obligor may contest withholding under this subdivision pursuant to section 518C.506.
    Subd. 13. Order terminating income withholding. An order terminating income
withholding must specify the effective date of the order and reference the initial order or decree
that establishes the support obligation and shall be entered once the following conditions have
been met:
(1) the obligor serves written notice of the application for termination of income withholding
by mail upon the obligee at the obligee's last known mailing address, and a duplicate copy of the
application is served on the public authority;
(2) the application for termination of income withholding specifies the event that terminates
the support obligation, the effective date of the termination of the support obligation, and the
applicable provisions of the order or decree that established the support obligation;
(3) the application includes the complete name of the obligor's payor of funds, the business
mailing address, the court action and court file number, and the support and collections file
number, if known; and
(4) after receipt of the application for termination of income withholding, the obligee or the
public authority fails within 20 days to request a contested hearing on the issue of whether income
withholding of support should continue clearly specifying the basis for the continued support
obligation and, ex parte, to stay the service of the order terminating income withholding upon the
obligor's payor of funds, pending the outcome of the contested hearing.
    Subd. 14. Termination by the public authority. If the public authority determines that
income withholding is no longer applicable, the public authority shall notify the obligee and the
obligor of intent to terminate income withholding.
Five days following notification to the obligee and obligor, the public authority shall issue a
notice to the payor of funds terminating income withholding, without a requirement for a court
order unless the obligee has requested an expedited child support hearing under section 484.702.
    Subd. 15. Contract for service. To carry out the provisions of this section, the public
authority responsible for child support enforcement may contract for services, including the use
of electronic funds transfer.
    Subd. 16. Waiver. (a) If the public authority is providing child support and maintenance
enforcement services and child support or maintenance is not assigned under section 256.741, the
court may waive the requirements of this section if:
(1) one party demonstrates and the court determines there is good cause to waive the
requirements of this section or to terminate an order for or notice of income withholding previously
entered under this section. The court must make written findings to include the reasons income
withholding would not be in the best interests of the child. In cases involving a modification of
support, the court must also make a finding that support payments have been timely made; or
(2) the obligee and obligor sign a written agreement providing for an alternative payment
arrangement which is reviewed and entered in the record by the court.
(b) If the public authority is not providing child support and maintenance enforcement
services and child support or maintenance is not assigned under section 256.741, the court may
waive the requirements of this section if the parties sign a written agreement.
(c) If the court waives income withholding, the obligee or obligor may at any time request
income withholding under subdivision 7.
    Subd. 17. Nonliability; payor of funds. A payor of funds who complies with an income
withholding order or notice of withholding according to this chapter or chapter 518C, that appears
regular on its face shall not be subject to civil liability to any individual or agency for taking
action in compliance with the order or notice.
    Subd. 18. Electronic transmission. Orders or notices for withholding under this section may
be transmitted for enforcement purposes by electronic means.
    Subd. 19. Timing of automated enforcement remedies. The public authority shall make
reasonable efforts to ensure that automated enforcement remedies take into consideration the time
periods allowed under this section.
History: 1997 c 203 art 6 s 48; 1Sp1997 c 5 s 18; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 14-16; 1999 c 86 art 1 s
77; 1999 c 107 s 66; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 15-18; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2001 c 134 s 2; 2001 c 158 s 2;
1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 12; 2002 c 344 s 18; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 59-62;
2005 c 98 art 1 s 22; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.54 CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT CENTER; DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. For the purposes of the child support center established under sections
518A.54 to 518A.56, the following terms have the meanings given.
    Subd. 2. Central collections unit. "Central collections unit" means the unit created under
section 518A.55.
    Subd. 3. Local child support agency. "Local child support agency" means the entity at the
county level that is responsible for providing child support enforcement services.
    Subd. 4. Payment. "Payment" means the payment of child support, medical support,
maintenance, and related payments required by order of a tribunal, voluntary support, or statutory
fees.
    Subd. 5. Tribunal. "Tribunal" has the meaning given in section 518C.101.
    Subd. 6. Creditor collections. The central collections unit under this section is not a third
party under chapters 550, 552, and 571 for purposes of creditor collection efforts against child
support and maintenance order obligors or obligees, and shall not be subject to creditor levy,
attachment, or garnishment.
    Subd. 7. Unclaimed support funds. "Unclaimed support funds" means any support
payments collected by the public authority from the obligor, which have not been disbursed
to the obligee or public authority.
History: 1995 c 257 art 2 s 1; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 9; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 10; 2002 c 379 art
1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.55 CENTRAL COLLECTIONS UNIT.
The commissioner of human services shall create and maintain a central collections unit
for the purpose of receiving, processing, and disbursing payments, and for maintaining a record
of payments, in all cases in which:
(1) the state or county is a party;
(2) the state or county provides child support enforcement services to a party; or
(3) payment is collected through income withholding.
The commissioner may contract for services to carry out these provisions, provided that the
commissioner first meets and negotiates with the affected exclusive representatives.
History: 1995 c 257 art 2 s 2; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 26; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.56 MANDATORY PAYMENT OF OBLIGATIONS TO CENTRAL COLLECTIONS
UNIT.
    Subdivision 1. Location of payment. All payments described in section 518A.55 must be
made to the central collections unit.
    Subd. 2. Agency designation of location. Each local child support agency shall provide a
location within the agency to receive payments. A local agency receiving a payment shall transmit
the funds to the central collections unit within one working day of receipt of the payment.
    Subd. 3. Incentives. Notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, incentives must be paid to the
county providing services and maintaining the case to which the payment is applied. Incentive
payments awarded for the collection of child support must be based solely upon payments
processed by the central collections unit. Incentive payments received by the county under this
subdivision shall be used for county child support collection efforts.
    Subd. 4. Electronic transfer of funds. The central collections unit is authorized to engage in
the electronic transfer of funds for the receipt and disbursement of funds.
    Subd. 5. Required content of order. A tribunal issuing an order that establishes or modifies
a payment shall issue an income withholding order in conformity with section 518A.53. The
automatic income withholding order must include the name of the obligor, the obligor's Social
Security number, the obligor's date of birth, and the name and address of the obligor's employer.
The street mailing address and the electronic mail address for the central collections unit must be
included in each automatic income withholding order issued by a tribunal.
    Subd. 6. Transmittal of order to the local agency by the tribunal. The tribunal shall
transmit a copy of the order establishing or modifying the payment, and a copy of the automatic
income withholding order, to the local child support agency within two working days of the
approval of the order by the judge or child support magistrate or other person or entity authorized
to sign the automatic withholding order.
    Subd. 7. Transmittal of funds from the obligor or payor of funds to the central
collections unit. The obligor or other payor of funds shall identify the obligor on the check or
remittance by name, payor number, and Social Security number, and shall comply with section
518A.53.
    Subd. 8. Sanction for checks drawn on insufficient funds. A notice may be directed to
any person or entity submitting a check drawn on insufficient funds stating that future payment
must be paid by cash or certified funds. The central collections unit and the local child support
agency may refuse a check from a person or entity that has been given notice that payments
must be in cash or certified funds.
    Subd. 9. Admissibility of payment records. A copy of the record of payments maintained
by the central collections unit in section 518A.55 is admissible evidence in all tribunals as proof
of payments made through the central collections unit without the need of testimony to prove
authenticity.
    Subd. 10. Transition provisions. (a) The commissioner of human services shall develop a
plan for the implementation of the central collections unit. The plan must require that payments
be redirected to the central collections unit. Payments may be redirected in groups according to
county of origin, county of payment, method of payment, type of case, or any other distinguishing
factor designated by the commissioner.
(b) Notice that payments must be made to the central collections unit must be provided to the
obligor and to the payor of funds within 30 days prior to the redirection of payments to the central
collections unit. After the notice has been provided to the obligor or payor of funds, mailed
payments received by a local child support agency must be forwarded to the central collections
unit. A notice must be sent to the obligor or payor of funds stating that payment application may
be delayed and provide directions to submit future payment to the central collections unit.
    Subd. 11. Collections unit recoupment account. The commissioner of human services
may establish a revolving account to cover funds issued in error due to insufficient funds or
other reasons. Appropriations for this purpose and all recoupments against payments from the
account shall be deposited in the collections unit's recoupment account and are appropriated to
the commissioner. Any unexpended balance in the account does not cancel, but is available
until expended.
    Subd. 12. Unclaimed support funds. (a) If support payments have not been disbursed to an
obligee because the obligee is not located, the public authority shall continue locate efforts for
one year from the date the public authority determines that the obligee is not located.
(b) If the public authority is unable to locate the obligee after one year, the public authority
shall mail a written notice to the obligee at the obligee's last known address. The notice shall give
the obligee 60 days to contact the public authority. If the obligee does not contact the public
authority within 60 days from the date of notice, the public authority shall:
(1) close the nonpublic assistance portion of the case;
(2) disburse unclaimed support funds to pay public assistance arrears. If public assistance
arrears remain after disbursing the unclaimed support funds, the public authority may continue
enforcement and collection of child support until all public assistance arrears have been paid.
If there are no public assistance arrears, or unclaimed support funds remain after paying public
assistance arrears, remaining unclaimed support funds shall be returned to the obligor; and
(3) mail, when all public assistance arrears have been paid the public authority, to the obligor
at the obligor's last known address a written notice of termination of income withholding and case
closure due to the public authority's inability to locate the obligee. The notice must indicate that
the obligor's support or maintenance obligation will remain in effect until further order of the
court and must inform the obligor that the obligor can contact the public authority for assistance
to modify the order. A copy of the form prepared by the state court administrator's office under
section 518A.39, subdivision 6, must be included with the notice.
(c) If the obligor is not located when attempting to return unclaimed support funds, the public
authority shall continue locate efforts for one year from the date the public authority determines
that the obligor is not located. If the public authority is unable to locate the obligor after one year,
the funds shall be treated as unclaimed property according to federal law and chapter 345.
History: 1995 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1995 c 257 art 2 s 3; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 14; 1999 c 245 art 7
s 10; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 11; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.57 NOTICE OF ORDER.
Whenever these laws require service of a court's order on an employer, union or payor of
funds, service of a verified notice of order may be made in lieu thereof. The verified notice shall
contain the title of the action, the name of the court, the court file number, the date of the court
order, and shall recite the operative provisions of the order.
History: 1986 c 404 s 18; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.58 ESCROW ACCOUNT; CHILD SUPPORT; MAINTENANCE OBLIGATION.
    Subdivision 1. Stay of service. If the court finds there is no arrearage in child support or
maintenance as of the date of the court hearing, the court shall stay service of the order under
section 518A.53 if the obligor establishes a savings account for a sum equal to two months of the
monthly child support or maintenance obligation and provides proof of the establishment to the
court and the public authority on or before the day of the court hearing determining the obligation.
This sum must be held in a financial institution in an interest-bearing account with only the public
authority authorized as drawer of funds. Proof of the establishment must include the financial
institution name and address, account number, and the amount of deposit.
    Subd. 2. Release of stay. Within three working days of receipt of notice of default, the public
authority shall direct the financial institution to release to the public authority the sum held under
this subdivision when the following conditions are met:
(1) the obligor fails to pay the support amount to the obligee or the public authority within
ten days of the date it is ordered to be paid;
(2) the obligee transmits a notice of default to the public authority and makes application
to the public authority for child support and maintenance collection services. The notice must
be verified by the obligee and must contain the title of the action, the court file number, the full
name and address of the obligee, the name and last known address of the obligor, the obligor's last
known employer or other payor of funds, the date of the first unpaid amount, the date of the last
unpaid amount, and the total amount unpaid; and
(3) within three working days of receipt of notice from the obligee, the public authority sends
a copy of the notice of default and a notice of intent to implement income withholding by mail to
the obligor at the address given. The notice of intent shall state that the order establishing the
support or maintenance obligation will be served on the obligor's employer or payor of funds
unless within 15 days after the mailing of the notice the obligor requests a hearing on the issue of
whether payment was in default as of the date of the notice of default and serves notice of the
request for hearing on the public authority and the obligee.
    Subd. 3. Duties of public authority. Within three working days of receipt of sums released
under subdivision 2, the public authority shall remit to the obligee all amounts not assigned under
section 256.741 as current support or maintenance. The public authority shall also serve a copy of
the court's order and the provisions of section 518A.53 and this section on the obligor's employer
or other payor of funds unless within 15 days after mailing of the notice of intent to implement
income withholding the obligor makes a proper motion pursuant to section 484.702 and the
rules of the expedited child support process. The public authority shall instruct the employer or
payor of funds pursuant to section 518A.53 as to the effective date on which the next support or
maintenance payment is due. The withholding process must begin on said date and shall reflect
the total credits of principal and interest amounts received from the escrow account.
    Subd. 4. Hearing. Within 30 days of the date of the notice of default under subdivision 2,
clause (2), the court must hold a hearing if a motion is brought by the obligor as set forth in
subdivision 2. If the court finds that there was a default, the court shall order the immediate
withholding of support or maintenance from the obligor's income. If the court finds that there was
no default, the court shall order the reestablishment of the escrow account by either the obligee or
obligor and continue the stay of income withholding.
    Subd. 5. Termination of stay. When the obligation for support of a child or for spousal
maintenance ends under the terms of the order or decree establishing the obligation and the sum
held under this section has not otherwise been released, the public authority shall release the sum
and interest to the obligor when the following conditions are met:
(1) the obligor transmits a notice of termination to the public authority. The notice shall be
verified by the obligor and contain the title of the action, the court file number, the full name
and address of the obligee, specify the event that ends the support or maintenance obligation,
the effective date of the termination of support or maintenance obligation, and the applicable
provisions of the order or decree that established the support or maintenance obligation;
(2) the public authority sends a copy of the notice of termination to the obligee; and
(3) the obligee fails within 20 days after mailing of the notice under clause (2) to request a
hearing on the issue of whether the support or maintenance obligation continues and serve notice
of the request for hearing on the obligor and the public authority.
History: 1988 c 693 s 3; 1995 c 257 art 3 s 10; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1999 c 159 s 138;
2002 c 344 s 19,20; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.59 NOTICE OF INTEREST ON LATE CHILD SUPPORT.
Any judgment or decree of dissolution or legal separation containing a requirement of child
support and any determination of parentage, order under chapter 518C, order under section 256.87,
or order under section 260B.331 or 260C.331 must include a notice to the parties that section
548.091, subdivision 1a, provides for interest to begin accruing on a payment or installment of
child support whenever the unpaid amount due is greater than the current support due.
History: 1993 c 340 s 49; 1999 c 139 art 4 s 2; 2005 c 164 s 28; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 29

518A.60 COLLECTION; ARREARS ONLY.
(a) Remedies available for the collection and enforcement of support in this chapter and
chapters 256, 257, 518, and 518C also apply to cases in which the child or children for whom
support is owed are emancipated and the obligor owes past support or has an accumulated
arrearage as of the date of the youngest child's emancipation. Child support arrearages under this
section include arrearages for child support, medical support, child care, pregnancy and birth
expenses, and unreimbursed medical expenses as defined in section 518A.41, subdivision 1,
paragraph (h) .
(b) This section applies retroactively to any support arrearage that accrued on or before June
3, 1997, and to all arrearages accruing after June 3, 1997.
(c) Past support or pregnancy and confinement expenses ordered for which the obligor has
specific court ordered terms for repayment may not be enforced using drivers' and occupational
or professional license suspension, credit bureau reporting, and additional income withholding
under section 518A.53, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), unless the obligor fails to comply with
the terms of the court order for repayment.
(d) If an arrearage exists at the time a support order would otherwise terminate and section
518A.53, subdivision 10, paragraph (c), does not apply to this section, the arrearage shall be
repaid in an amount equal to the current support order until all arrears have been paid in full,
absent a court order to the contrary.
(e) If an arrearage exists according to a support order which fails to establish a monthly
support obligation in a specific dollar amount, the public authority, if it provides child support
services, or the obligee, may establish a payment agreement which shall equal what the obligor
would pay for current support after application of section 518A.34, plus an additional 20 percent
of the current support obligation, until all arrears have been paid in full. If the obligor fails to
enter into or comply with a payment agreement, the public authority, if it provides child support
services, or the obligee, may move the district court or child support magistrate, if section 484.702
applies, for an order establishing repayment terms.
History: 1997 c 245 art 1 s 28; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 19; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 13; 2002 c 379
art 1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 46

518A.61 COLLECTION; REVENUE RECAPTURE.
The public authority may submit debt under chapter 270A only if the obligor is in arrears
in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments, or both, in an amount greater than
the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments or if the debt has been entered
and docketed as a judgment.
History: 2001 c 134 s 3; 2001 c 158 s 3; 2002 c 344 s 22; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.62 CHILD SUPPORT DEBT AND ARREARAGE MANAGEMENT.
    In order to reduce and otherwise manage support debts and arrearages, the parties, including
the public authority where arrearages have been assigned to the public authority, may compromise
unpaid support debts or arrearages owed by one party to another, whether or not docketed as a
judgment. A party may agree or disagree to compromise only those debts or arrearages owed to
that party.
History: 2005 c 164 s 9,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.63 TRUSTEE.
(a) Upon its own motion or upon motion of either party, the court may appoint a trustee,
when it is deemed expedient, to receive any money ordered to be paid as maintenance or support
money for remittance to the person entitled to receive the payments. The trustee may also receive
property which is part of an award under section 518.58, upon trust to invest the same, and
pay over the income in the manner the court directs, or to pay over the principal sum in the
proportions and at the times the court orders. The court shall have regard in all cases to the
situation and circumstances of the recipient, and the children, if there are any. The trustee shall
give a bond, as the court requires, for the faithful performance of the trust. If it appears that the
recipient of money ordered to be paid as support will receive public assistance, the court shall
appoint as trustee the public authority responsible for support enforcement.
(b) The trustee shall maintain records listing the amount of payments, the date when
payments are required to be made, and the names and addresses of the parties affected by the order.
(c) The parties affected by the order shall inform the trustee of a change of address or of
other conditions that may affect the administration of the order.
(d) If a required payment of support or of maintenance and support combined is not made
within ten days after the due date, the trustee shall send by first class mail notice of the arrearage to
the obligor. If payment of the sum due is not received by the trustee within ten days after sending
notice, the trustee shall certify the amount due to the public authority responsible for support
enforcement, whenever that authority is not the trustee. If the public authority responsible for
support enforcement refers the arrearage to the county attorney, the county attorney may initiate
enforcement proceedings against the obligor for support or for maintenance and support combined.
(e) The public authority responsible for support enforcement may represent a person entitled
to receive support or maintenance or both in court proceedings initiated under this section to
enforce compliance with a support order or combined maintenance and support orders.
(f) If the person obligated to pay support or maintenance is beyond the jurisdiction of the
court, the county attorney may institute any proceeding available under state or federal law for the
enforcement of duties of support or maintenance.
History: 1951 c 551 s 8; 1969 c 1028 s 6; 1978 c 772 s 54; 1986 c 444; 2005 c 164 s
29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.64 ADMINISTRATIVE SEEK EMPLOYMENT ORDERS.
    Subdivision 1. Court order. For any support order being enforced by the public authority,
the public authority may seek a court order requiring the obligor to seek employment if:
(1) employment of the obligor cannot be verified;
(2) the obligor is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments or
both in an amount equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and
maintenance payments; and
(3) the obligor is not in compliance with a written payment plan.
Upon proper notice being given to the obligor, the court may enter a seek employment order
if it finds that the obligor has not provided proof of gainful employment and has not consented to
an order for income withholding under section 518A.53 or entered into a written payment plan
approved by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority.
    Subd. 2. Contents of order. The order to seek employment shall:
(1) order that the obligor seek employment within a determinate amount of time;
(2) order that the obligor file with the public authority on a weekly basis a report of at least
five new attempts to find employment or of having found employment, which report must include
the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any employers or businesses with whom the
obligor attempted to seek employment and the name of the individual contact to whom the obligor
made application for employment or to whom an inquiry was directed;
(3) notify the obligor that failure to comply with the order is evidence of a willful failure to
pay support under section 518A.72;
(4) order that the obligor provide the public authority with verification of any reason for
noncompliance with the order; and
(5) specify the duration of the order, not to exceed three months.
History: 1995 c 257 art 1 s 29; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 19; 2005 c 164 s
29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.65 DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION.
(a) Upon motion of an obligee, which has been properly served on the obligor and upon
which there has been an opportunity for hearing, if a court finds that the obligor has been or may
be issued a driver's license by the commissioner of public safety and the obligor is in arrears in
court-ordered child support or maintenance payments, or both, in an amount equal to or greater
than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments and is not in
compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the
court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority, the court shall order the commissioner of
public safety to suspend the obligor's driver's license. The court's order must be stayed for 90
days in order to allow the obligor to execute a written payment agreement pursuant to section
518A.69. The payment agreement must be approved by either the court or the public authority
responsible for child support enforcement. If the obligor has not executed or is not in compliance
with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 after the 90 days expires, the
court's order becomes effective and the commissioner of public safety shall suspend the obligor's
driver's license. The remedy under this section is in addition to any other enforcement remedy
available to the court. An obligee may not bring a motion under this paragraph within 12 months
of a denial of a previous motion under this paragraph.
(b) If a public authority responsible for child support enforcement determines that the obligor
has been or may be issued a driver's license by the commissioner of public safety and the obligor
is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments or both in an amount equal
to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments and
not in compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved
by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority, the public authority shall direct
the commissioner of public safety to suspend the obligor's driver's license. The remedy under this
section is in addition to any other enforcement remedy available to the public authority.
(c) At least 90 days prior to notifying the commissioner of public safety according to
paragraph (b), the public authority must mail a written notice to the obligor at the obligor's last
known address, that it intends to seek suspension of the obligor's driver's license and that the
obligor must request a hearing within 30 days in order to contest the suspension. If the obligor
makes a written request for a hearing within 30 days of the date of the notice, a court hearing must
be held. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the obligor must be served with 14 days' notice
in writing specifying the time and place of the hearing and the allegations against the obligor.
The notice must include information that apprises the obligor of the requirement to develop a
written payment agreement that is approved by a court, a child support magistrate, or the public
authority responsible for child support enforcement regarding child support, maintenance, and
any arrearages in order to avoid license suspension. The notice may be served personally or by
mail. If the public authority does not receive a request for a hearing within 30 days of the date
of the notice, and the obligor does not execute a written payment agreement pursuant to section
518A.69 that is approved by the public authority within 90 days of the date of the notice, the
public authority shall direct the commissioner of public safety to suspend the obligor's driver's
license under paragraph (b).
(d) At a hearing requested by the obligor under paragraph (c), and on finding that the
obligor is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments or both in an
amount equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance
payments, the district court or child support magistrate shall order the commissioner of public
safety to suspend the obligor's driver's license or operating privileges unless the court or child
support magistrate determines that the obligor has executed and is in compliance with a written
payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the court, a child support
magistrate, or the public authority.
(e) An obligor whose driver's license or operating privileges are suspended may:
(1) provide proof to the public authority responsible for child support enforcement that the
obligor is in compliance with all written payment agreements pursuant to section 518A.69;
(2) bring a motion for reinstatement of the driver's license. At the hearing, if the court or
child support magistrate orders reinstatement of the driver's license, the court or child support
magistrate must establish a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69; or
(3) seek a limited license under section 171.30. A limited license issued to an obligor under
section 171.30 expires 90 days after the date it is issued.
Within 15 days of the receipt of that proof or a court order, the public authority shall inform
the commissioner of public safety that the obligor's driver's license or operating privileges should
no longer be suspended.
(f) On January 15, 1997, and every two years after that, the commissioner of human services
shall submit a report to the legislature that identifies the following information relevant to the
implementation of this section:
(1) the number of child support obligors notified of an intent to suspend a driver's license;
(2) the amount collected in payments from the child support obligors notified of an intent to
suspend a driver's license;
(3) the number of cases paid in full and payment agreements executed in response to
notification of an intent to suspend a driver's license;
(4) the number of cases in which there has been notification and no payments or payment
agreements;
(5) the number of driver's licenses suspended;
(6) the cost of implementation and operation of the requirements of this section; and
(7) the number of limited licenses issued and number of cases in which payment agreements
are executed and cases are paid in full following issuance of a limited license.
(g) In addition to the criteria established under this section for the suspension of an obligor's
driver's license, a court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority may direct the
commissioner of public safety to suspend the license of a party who has failed, after receiving
notice, to comply with a subpoena relating to a paternity or child support proceeding. Notice to an
obligor of intent to suspend must be served by first class mail at the obligor's last known address.
The notice must inform the obligor of the right to request a hearing. If the obligor makes a written
request within ten days of the date of the hearing, a hearing must be held. At the hearing, the only
issues to be considered are mistake of fact and whether the obligor received the subpoena.
(h) The license of an obligor who fails to remain in compliance with an approved written
payment agreement may be suspended. Prior to suspending a license for noncompliance with an
approved written payment agreement, the public authority must mail to the obligor's last known
address a written notice that (1) the public authority intends to seek suspension of the obligor's
driver's license under this paragraph, and (2) the obligor must request a hearing, within 30 days of
the date of the notice, to contest the suspension. If, within 30 days of the date of the notice, the
public authority does not receive a written request for a hearing and the obligor does not comply
with an approved written payment agreement, the public authority must direct the Department
of Public Safety to suspend the obligor's license under paragraph (b). If the obligor makes a
written request for a hearing within 30 days of the date of the notice, a court hearing must be
held. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the obligor must be served with 14 days' notice
in writing specifying the time and place of the hearing and the allegations against the obligor.
The notice may be served personally or by mail at the obligor's last known address. If the obligor
appears at the hearing and the court determines that the obligor has failed to comply with an
approved written payment agreement, the court or public authority shall notify the Department of
Public Safety to suspend the obligor's license under paragraph (b). If the obligor fails to appear at
the hearing, the court or public authority must notify the Department of Public Safety to suspend
the obligor's license under paragraph (b).
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.66 OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE SUSPENSION.
(a) Upon motion of an obligee, if the court finds that the obligor is or may be licensed by
a licensing board listed in section 214.01 or other state, county, or municipal agency or board
that issues an occupational license and the obligor is in arrears in court-ordered child support or
maintenance payments or both in an amount equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total
monthly support and maintenance payments and is not in compliance with a written payment
agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the court, a child support magistrate,
or the public authority, the court shall direct the licensing board or other licensing agency to
suspend the license under section 214.101. The court's order must be stayed for 90 days in order
to allow the obligor to execute a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69. The
payment agreement must be approved by either the court or the public authority responsible for
child support enforcement. If the obligor has not executed or is not in compliance with a written
payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 after the 90 days expires, the court's order
becomes effective. If the obligor is a licensed attorney, the court shall report the matter to the
Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board for appropriate action in accordance with the Rules
of Professional Conduct. The remedy under this section is in addition to any other enforcement
remedy available to the court.
(b) If a public authority responsible for child support enforcement finds that the obligor
is or may be licensed by a licensing board listed in section 214.01 or other state, county, or
municipal agency or board that issues an occupational license and the obligor is in arrears in
court-ordered child support or maintenance payments or both in an amount equal to or greater
than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments and is not in
compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by
the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority, the court or the public authority
shall direct the licensing board or other licensing agency to suspend the license under section
214.101. If the obligor is a licensed attorney, the public authority may report the matter to the
Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board for appropriate action in accordance with the Rules
of Professional Conduct. The remedy under this section is in addition to any other enforcement
remedy available to the public authority.
(c) At least 90 days before notifying a licensing authority or the Lawyers Professional
Responsibility Board under paragraph (b), the public authority shall mail a written notice to the
license holder addressed to the license holder's last known address that the public authority
intends to seek license suspension under this section and that the license holder must request a
hearing within 30 days in order to contest the suspension. If the license holder makes a written
request for a hearing within 30 days of the date of the notice, a court hearing or a hearing under
section 484.702 must be held. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the license holder must
be served with 14 days' notice in writing specifying the time and place of the hearing and the
allegations against the license holder. The notice may be served personally or by mail. If the
public authority does not receive a request for a hearing within 30 days of the date of the notice,
and the obligor does not execute a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is
approved by the public authority within 90 days of the date of the notice, the public authority
shall direct the licensing board or other licensing agency to suspend the obligor's license under
paragraph (b), or shall report the matter to the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board.
(d) The public authority or the court shall notify the Lawyers Professional Responsibility
Board for appropriate action in accordance with the Rules of Professional Responsibility Conduct
or order the licensing board or licensing agency to suspend the license if the judge finds that:
(1) the person is licensed by a licensing board or other state agency that issues an
occupational license;
(2) the person has not made full payment of arrearages found to be due by the public
authority; and
(3) the person has not executed or is not in compliance with a payment plan approved by
the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority.
(e) Within 15 days of the date on which the obligor either makes full payment of arrearages
found to be due by the court or public authority or executes and initiates good faith compliance
with a written payment plan approved by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public
authority, the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority responsible for child
support enforcement shall notify the licensing board or licensing agency or the Lawyers
Professional Responsibility Board that the obligor is no longer ineligible for license issuance,
reinstatement, or renewal under this section.
(f) In addition to the criteria established under this section for the suspension of an obligor's
occupational license, a court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority may direct the
licensing board or other licensing agency to suspend the license of a party who has failed, after
receiving notice, to comply with a subpoena relating to a paternity or child support proceeding.
Notice to an obligor of intent to suspend must be served by first class mail at the obligor's last
known address. The notice must inform the obligor of the right to request a hearing. If the obligor
makes a written request within ten days of the date of the hearing, a hearing must be held. At the
hearing, the only issues to be considered are mistake of fact and whether the obligor received the
subpoena.
(g) The license of an obligor who fails to remain in compliance with an approved written
payment agreement may be suspended. Prior to suspending a license for noncompliance with
an approved written payment agreement, the public authority must mail to the obligor's last
known address a written notice that (1) the public authority intends to seek suspension of the
obligor's occupational license under this paragraph, and (2) the obligor must request a hearing,
within 30 days of the date of the notice, to contest the suspension. If, within 30 days of the
date of the notice, the public authority does not receive a written request for a hearing and the
obligor does not comply with an approved written payment agreement, the public authority
must direct the licensing board or other licensing agency to suspend the obligor's license under
paragraph (b), and, if the obligor is a licensed attorney, must report the matter to the Lawyers
Professional Responsibility Board. If the obligor makes a written request for a hearing within
30 days of the date of the notice, a court hearing must be held. Notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, the obligor must be served with 14 days' notice in writing specifying the time and place
of the hearing and the allegations against the obligor. The notice may be served personally or
by mail to the obligor's last known address. If the obligor appears at the hearing and the court
determines that the obligor has failed to comply with an approved written payment agreement, the
court or public authority must notify the occupational licensing board or other licensing agency to
suspend the obligor's license under paragraph (b) and, if the obligor is a licensed attorney, must
report the matter to the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. If the obligor fails to appear
at the hearing, the court or public authority must notify the occupational licensing board or other
licensing agency to suspend the obligor's license under paragraph (b), and if the obligor is a
licensed attorney, must report the matter to the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.67 MOTOR VEHICLE LIEN.
(a) Upon motion of an obligee, if a court finds that the obligor is a debtor for a judgment
debt resulting from nonpayment of court-ordered child support or maintenance payments, or
both, in an amount equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and
maintenance payments, the court shall order the commissioner of public safety to enter a lien in
the name of the obligee or in the name of the state of Minnesota, as appropriate, in accordance
with section 168A.05, subdivision 8, unless the court finds that the obligor is in compliance
with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the court, a
child support magistrate, or the public authority. The court's order must be stayed for 90 days in
order to allow the obligor to execute a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69,
which shall be approved by either the court or the public authority responsible for child support
enforcement. If the obligor has not executed or is not in compliance with a written payment
agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the court, a child support magistrate,
or the public authority within the 90-day period, the court's order becomes effective and the
commissioner of public safety shall record the lien on any motor vehicle certificate of title
subsequently issued in the name of the obligor. The remedy under this section is in addition to any
other enforcement remedy available to the court.
(b) If a public authority responsible for child support enforcement determines that the
obligor is a debtor for judgment debt resulting from nonpayment of court-ordered child support or
maintenance payments, or both, in an amount equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total
monthly support and maintenance payments, the public authority shall direct the commissioner of
public safety to enter a lien in the name of the obligee or in the name of the state of Minnesota,
as appropriate, under section 168A.05, subdivision 8, on any motor vehicle certificate of title
subsequently issued in the name of the obligor unless the public authority determines that the
obligor is in compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is
approved by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority. The remedy under this
section is in addition to any other enforcement remedy available to the public agency.
(c) At least 90 days prior to notifying the commissioner of public safety pursuant to
paragraph (b), the public authority must mail a written notice to the obligor at the obligor's last
known address, that it intends to record a lien on any motor vehicle certificate of title subsequently
issued in the name of the obligor and that the obligor must request a hearing within 30 days in
order to contest the action. If the obligor makes a written request for a hearing within 30 days
of the date of the notice, a court hearing must be held. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary,
the obligor must be served with 14 days' notice in writing specifying the time and place of the
hearing and the allegations against the obligor. The notice may be served personally or by
mail. If the public authority does not receive a request for a hearing within 30 days of the date
of the notice and the obligor does not execute or is not in compliance with a written payment
agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is approved by the public authority within 90 days
of the date of the notice, the public authority shall direct the commissioner of public safety to
record the lien under paragraph (b).
(d) At a hearing requested by the obligor under paragraph (c), and on finding that the obligor
is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments or both in an amount equal
to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments, the
district court or child support magistrate shall order the commissioner of public safety to record
the lien unless the court or child support magistrate determines that the obligor has executed and
is in compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to section 518A.69 that is determined
to be acceptable by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority.
(e) An obligor may provide proof to the court or the public authority responsible for child
support enforcement that the obligor is in compliance with all written payment agreements
pursuant to section 518A.69 or that the value of the motor vehicle is less than the exemption
provided under section 550.37. Within 15 days of the receipt of that proof, the court or public
authority shall either execute a release of security interest under section 168A.20, subdivision
4 , and mail or deliver the release to the owner or other authorized person or shall direct the
commissioner of public safety not to enter a lien on any motor vehicle certificate of title
subsequently issued in the name of the obligor in instances where a lien has not yet been entered.
(f) Any lien recorded against a motor vehicle certificate of title under this section and section
168A.05, subdivision 8, attaches only to the nonexempt value of the motor vehicle as determined
in accordance with section 550.37. The value of a motor vehicle must be determined in accordance
with the retail value described in the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide, Midwest Edition, for the
current year, or in accordance with the purchase price as defined in section 297B.01, subdivision 8.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.68 RECREATIONAL LICENSE SUSPENSION.
(a) Upon motion of an obligee or the public authority, which has been properly served on the
obligor by first class mail at the last known address or in person, and if at a hearing, the court
finds that (1) the obligor is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments,
or both, in an amount equal to or greater than six times the obligor's total monthly support and
maintenance payments and is not in compliance with a written payment agreement pursuant to
section 518A.69, or (2) has failed, after receiving notice, to comply with a subpoena relating to a
paternity or child support proceeding, the court may direct the commissioner of natural resources
to suspend or bar receipt of the obligor's recreational license or licenses. Prior to utilizing this
section, the court must find that other substantial enforcement mechanisms have been attempted
but have not resulted in compliance.
(b) For purposes of this section, a recreational license includes all licenses, permits, and
stamps issued centrally by the commissioner of natural resources under sections 97B.301,
97B.401, 97B.501, 97B.515, 97B.601, 97B.715, 97B.721, 97B.801, 97C.301, and 97C.305.
(c) An obligor whose recreational license or licenses have been suspended or barred may
provide proof to the court that the obligor is in compliance with all written payment agreements
pursuant to section 518A.69. Within 15 days of receipt of that proof, the court shall notify the
commissioner of natural resources that the obligor's recreational license or licenses should no
longer be suspended nor should receipt be barred.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.69 PAYMENT AGREEMENTS.
In proposing or approving proposed written payment agreements for purposes of this
chapter, the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority shall take into consideration
the amount of the arrearages, the amount of the current support order, any pending request for
modification, and the earnings of the obligor. The court, child support magistrate, or public
authority shall consider the individual financial circumstances of each obligor in evaluating the
obligor's ability to pay any proposed payment agreement and shall propose a reasonable payment
agreement tailored to the individual financial circumstances of each obligor. The court, child
support magistrate, or public authority also shall consider a graduated payment plan tailored to
the individual financial circumstances of each obligor.
History: 1995 c 257 art 1 s 27; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 25; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 12; 2002 c 344 s
17; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.70 DATA ON SUSPENSIONS FOR SUPPORT ARREARS.
Notwithstanding section 13.03, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), data on an occupational license
suspension under section 518A.66 or a driver's license suspension under section 518A.65 that
are transferred by the Department of Human Services to respectively the Department of Public
Safety or any state, county, or municipal occupational licensing agency must have the same
classification at the Department of Public Safety or other receiving agency under section 13.02 as
other license suspension data held by the receiving agency. The transfer of the data does not affect
the classification of the data in the hands of the Department of Human Services.
History: 1971 c 961 s 21; 1974 c 107 s 20; 1977 c 282 s 29; 1978 c 772 s 50; 1979 c 259
s 25; 1981 c 349 s 6; 1981 c 360 art 2 s 46; 3Sp1981 c 3 s 19; 1982 c 488 s 4,5; 1983 c 308 s
16-20; 1984 c 547 s 18,19; 1985 c 131 s 7; 1986 c 406 s 4; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82;
1987 c 403 art 3 s 79,80; 1988 c 593 s 8; 1988 c 668 s 17,18; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 190,191; 1990 c
568 art 2 s 70-72; 1990 c 574 s 18; 1991 c 266 s 2; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 75-78; 1992 c 513 art 8 s
53,54; 1993 c 34 s 1; 1993 c 322 s 12; 1993 c 340 s 32-38; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 6 s 44; 1994 c 483 s
1; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 9,10; 1995 c 186 s 94; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 23-26; 1997 c 66
s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 42,43; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 13-17; art 3 s 10; 1998 c 382 art 1 s 7-11; 1999
c 107 s 66; 1999 c 159 s 136; 1999 c 196 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 9-11; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 8; 2000 c
343 s 4; 2000 c 444 art 2 s 37; 2001 c 51 s 13,14; 2001 c 134 s 1; 2001 c 158 s 1; 2002 c 344
s 13-16; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 6 s 58; art 10 s 5,6; 2005 c 116 s 4; 2005 c 164 s
7,8,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 15,16,22; 2006 c 282 art 18 s 3

518A.71 SECURITY; SEQUESTRATION; CONTEMPT.
In all cases when maintenance or support payments are ordered, the court may require
sufficient security to be given for the payment of them according to the terms of the order. Upon
neglect or refusal to give security, or upon failure to pay the maintenance or support, the court
may sequester the obligor's personal estate and the rents and profits of real estate of the obligor,
and appoint a receiver of them. The court may cause the personal estate and the rents and profits
of the real estate to be applied according to the terms of the order. The obligor is presumed to
have an income from a source sufficient to pay the maintenance or support order. A child support
or maintenance order constitutes prima facie evidence that the obligor has the ability to pay the
award. If the obligor disobeys the order, it is prima facie evidence of contempt. The court may
cite the obligor for contempt under this section, section 518A.72, or chapter 588.
History: (8604) RL s 3593; 1969 c 1028 s 1; 1978 c 772 s 46; 1983 c 216 art 1 s 74; 1986 c
444; 1987 c 403 art 3 s 78; 1993 c 340 s 30; 1995 c 257 art 1 s 22; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c
7 s 28

518A.72 CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS FOR NONPAYMENT OF SUPPORT.
    Subdivision 1. Grounds. If a person against whom an order or decree for support has
been entered under this chapter, chapter 256, chapter 518, or a comparable law from another
jurisdiction, is in arrears in court-ordered child support or maintenance payments in an amount
equal to or greater than three times the obligor's total monthly support and maintenance payments
and is not in compliance with a written payment plan approved by the court, a child support
magistrate, or the public authority, the person may be cited and punished by the court for contempt
under section 518A.39, chapter 588, or this section. Failure to comply with a seek employment
order entered under section 518A.64 is evidence of willful failure to pay support.
    Subd. 2. Court options. (a) If a court cites a person for contempt under this section, and the
obligor lives in a county that contracts with the commissioner of human services under section
256.997, the court may order the performance of community service work up to 32 hours per
week for six weeks for each finding of contempt if the obligor:
(1) is able to work full time;
(2) works an average of less than 32 hours per week; and
(3) has actual weekly gross income averaging less than 40 times the federal minimum hourly
wage under United States Code, title 29, section 206(a)(1), or is voluntarily earning less than the
obligor has the ability to earn, as determined by the court.
An obligor is presumed to be able to work full time. The obligor has the burden of proving
inability to work full time.
(b) A person ordered to do community service work under paragraph (a) may, during the
six-week period, apply to the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority to be
released from the community service work requirement if the person:
(1) provides proof to the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority that the
person is gainfully employed and submits to an order for income withholding under section
518A.53;
(2) enters into a written payment plan regarding both current support and arrearages
approved by the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority; or
(3) provides proof to the court, a child support magistrate, or the public authority that,
subsequent to entry of the order, the person's circumstances have so changed that the person is no
longer able to fulfill the terms of the community service order.
    Subd. 3. Continuing obligations. The performance of community service work does not
relieve a child support obligor of any unpaid accrued or accruing support obligation.
History: 1995 c 257 art 1 s 30; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 20; 2002 c 344 s
21; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.73 EMPLOYER CONTEMPT.
    Subdivision 1. Orders binding. Notices or orders for income withholding or medical support
issued pursuant to sections 518A.41 and 518A.53 are binding on the employer, trustee, or other
payor of funds after the order or notice for income withholding or enforcement of medical support
has been transmitted pursuant to section 518A.53 to the employer, trustee, or payor of funds.
    Subd. 2. Contempt action. An obligee or the public agency responsible for child support
enforcement may initiate a contempt action against an employer, trustee, or payor of funds,
within the action that created the support obligation, by serving an order to show cause upon the
employer, trustee, or payor of funds.
The employer, trustee, or payor of funds is presumed to be in contempt:
(1) if the employer, trustee, or payor of funds has intentionally failed to withhold support
after receiving the order or notice for income withholding or notice of enforcement of medical
support; or
(2) upon presentation of pay stubs or similar documentation showing the employer, trustee,
or payor of funds withheld support and demonstration that the employer, trustee, or payor of funds
intentionally failed to remit support to the agency responsible for child support enforcement.
    Subd. 3. Liability. The employer, trustee, or payor of funds is liable to the obligee or the
agency responsible for child support enforcement for any amounts required to be withheld that
were not paid. The court may enter judgment against the employer, trustee, or payor of funds for
support not withheld or remitted. An employer, trustee, or payor of funds found guilty of contempt
shall be punished by a fine of not more than $250 as provided in chapter 588. The court may also
impose other contempt sanctions authorized under chapter 588.
History: 1993 c 340 s 44; 1995 c 207 art 10 s 24; 1995 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1998 c 382 art 1
s 17,18; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 46

518A.735 ENFORCEMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT.
(a) A child support obligee is entitled to recover from the obligor reasonable attorney fees
and other collection costs incurred to enforce a child support judgment, as provided in this
section. In order to recover collection costs under this section, the arrearages must be at least $500
and must be at least 90 days past due. In addition, the arrearages must be a docketed judgment
under sections 548.09 and 548.091. If the obligor pays in full the judgment rendered under section
548.091 within 20 days of receipt of notice of entry of judgment, the obligee is not entitled to
recover attorney fees or collection costs under this section.
(b) Written notice must be provided by any obligee contracting with an attorney or collection
entity to enforce a child support judgment to the public authority responsible for child support
enforcement, if the public authority is a party or provides services to a party, within five days
of signing a contract for services and within five days of receipting any payments received on
a child support judgment. Attorney fees and collection costs obtained under this section are
considered child support and entitled to the applicable remedies for collection and enforcement
of child support.
(c) The obligee shall serve notice of the obligee's intent to recover attorney fees and
collections costs by certified or registered mail on the obligor at the obligor's last known address.
The notice must include an itemization of the attorney fees and collection costs being sought by
the obligee and inform the obligor that the fees and costs will become an additional judgment
for child support unless the obligor requests a hearing on the reasonableness of the fees and
costs or to contest the child support judgment on grounds limited to mistake of fact within 20
days of mailing of the notice.
(d) If the obligor requests a hearing, the only issues to be determined by the court are
whether the attorney fees or collection costs were reasonably incurred by the obligee for the
enforcement of a child support judgment against the obligor or the validity of the child support
judgment on grounds limited to mistake of fact. The fees and costs may not exceed 30 percent of
the arrearages. The court may modify the amount of attorney fees and costs as appropriate and
shall enter judgment accordingly.
(e) If the obligor fails to request a hearing within 20 days of mailing of the notice under
paragraph (a), the amount of the attorney fees or collection costs requested by the obligee in the
notice automatically becomes an additional judgment for child support.
(f) The commissioner of human services shall prepare and make available to the court and
the parties forms for use in providing for notice and requesting a hearing under this section.
History: (8593) RL s 3582; 1955 c 687 s 1; 1974 c 107 s 11; 1978 c 772 s 30; 1986 c 444;
1990 c 574 s 10; 1993 c 340 s 20; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 5; 1997 c 187 art 2 s 10; 2005 c 164 s
29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.74 PUBLICATION OF NAMES OF DELINQUENT CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGORS.
    Subdivision 1. Making names public. At least once each year, the commissioner of
human services, in consultation with the attorney general, may publish a list of the names and
other identifying information of no more than 25 persons who (1) are child support obligors,
(2) are at least $10,000 in arrears, (3) are not in compliance with a written payment agreement
regarding both current support and arrearages approved by the court, a child support magistrate,
or the public authority, (4) cannot currently be located by the public authority for the purposes
of enforcing a support order, and (5) have not made a support payment except tax intercept
payments, in the preceding 12 months.
Identifying information may include the obligor's name, last known address, amount owed,
date of birth, photograph, the number of children for whom support is owed, and any additional
information about the obligor that would assist in identifying or locating the obligor. The
commissioner and attorney general may use posters, media presentations, electronic technology,
and other means that the commissioner and attorney general determine are appropriate for
dissemination of the information, including publication on the Internet. The commissioner and
attorney general may make any or all of the identifying information regarding these persons
public. Information regarding an obligor who meets the criteria in this subdivision will only be
made public subsequent to that person's selection by the commissioner and attorney general.
Before making public the name of the obligor, the Department of Human Services shall send
a notice to the obligor's last known address which states the department's intention to make public
information on the obligor. The notice must also provide an opportunity to have the obligor's
name removed from the list by paying the arrearage or by entering into an agreement to pay
the arrearage, or by providing information to the public authority that there is good cause not
to make the information public. The notice must include the final date when the payment or
agreement can be accepted.
The Department of Human Services shall obtain the written consent of the obligee to make
the name of the obligor public.
    Subd. 2. Names published in error. If the commissioner makes public a name under
subdivision 1 which is in error, the commissioner must also offer to publish a printed retraction
and a public apology acknowledging that the name was made public in error. If the person whose
name was made public in error elects the public retraction and apology, the retraction and apology
must appear in the same medium and the same format as the original notice with the name listed
in error. In addition to the right of a public retraction and apology, a person whose name was made
public in error has a civil action for damages caused by the error.
History: 1994 c 630 art 11 s 11; 1995 c 257 art 3 s 2; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 47; 1999 c 196 art 2
s 13; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s 9; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.75 COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IN MAINTENANCE OR CHILD SUPPORT
ORDER.
    Subdivision 1. Requirement. (a) An order establishing, modifying, or enforcing maintenance
or child support shall provide for a biennial adjustment in the amount to be paid based on a
change in the cost of living. An order that provides for a cost-of-living adjustment shall specify
the cost-of-living index to be applied and the date on which the cost-of-living adjustment shall
become effective. The court may use the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers,
Minneapolis-St. Paul (CPI-U), the Consumer Price Index for wage earners and clerical,
Minneapolis-St. Paul (CPI-W), or another cost-of-living index published by the Department of
Labor which it specifically finds is more appropriate. Cost-of-living increases under this section
shall be compounded. The court may also increase the amount by more than the cost-of-living
adjustment by agreement of the parties or by making further findings.
(b) The adjustment becomes effective on the first of May of the year in which it is made, for
cases in which payment is made to the public authority. For cases in which payment is not made to
the public authority, application for an adjustment may be made in any month but no application
for an adjustment may be made sooner than two years after the date of the dissolution decree. A
court may waive the requirement of the cost-of-living clause if it expressly finds that the obligor's
occupation or income, or both, does not provide for cost-of-living adjustment or that the order
for maintenance or child support has a provision such as a step increase that has the effect of a
cost-of-living clause. The court may waive a cost-of-living adjustment in a maintenance order if
the parties so agree in writing. The commissioner of human services may promulgate rules for
child support adjustments under this section in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of
chapter 14. Notice of this statute must comply with section 518.68, subdivision 2.
    Subd. 2. Notice. No adjustment under this section may be made unless the order provides for
it and the public authority or the obligee, if the obligee is requesting the cost-of-living adjustment,
sends notice of the intended adjustment to the obligor at the obligor's last known address at least
20 days before the effective date of the adjustment. The notice shall inform the obligor of the date
on which the adjustment will become effective and the procedures for contesting the adjustment.
    Subd. 2a. Procedures for contesting adjustment. (a) To contest cost-of-living adjustments
initiated by the public authority or an obligee who has applied for or is receiving child support
and maintenance collection services from the public authority, other than income withholding
only services, the obligor, before the effective date of the adjustment, must:
(1) file a motion contesting the cost-of-living adjustment with the court administrator; and
(2) serve the motion by first-class mail on the public authority and the obligee.
The hearing shall take place in the expedited child support process as governed by section 484.702.
(b) To contest cost-of-living adjustments initiated by an obligee who is not receiving child
support and maintenance collection services from the public authority, or for an obligee who
receives income withholding only services from the public authority, the obligor must, before
the effective date of the adjustment:
(1) file a motion contesting the cost-of-living adjustment with the court administrator; and
(2) serve the motion by first-class mail on the obligee.
The hearing shall take place in district court.
(c) Upon receipt of a motion contesting the cost-of-living adjustment, the cost-of-living
adjustment shall be stayed pending further order of the court.
(d) The court administrator shall make available pro se motion forms for contesting a
cost-of-living adjustment under this subdivision.
    Subd. 3. Result of hearing. If, at a hearing pursuant to this section, the obligor establishes
an insufficient cost of living or other increase in income that prevents fulfillment of the adjusted
maintenance or child support obligation, the court or child support magistrate may direct that
all or part of the adjustment not take effect. If, at the hearing, the obligor does not establish this
insufficient increase in income, the adjustment shall take effect as of the date it would have
become effective had no hearing been requested.
History: 1983 c 308 s 24; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1988 c 668 s 25; 1991 c 266 s 8,9; 1993 c
322 s 15; 1997 c 187 art 2 s 14; 1997 c 245 art 1 s 30; 1999 c 196 art 2 s 21; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 12 s
15-18; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.76 CASE REVIEWER.
The commissioner shall make a case reviewer available to obligors and obligees. The
reviewer must be available to answer questions concerning the collection process and to review
the collection activity taken. A reviewer who reasonably believes that a particular action being
taken is unreasonable or unfair may make recommendations to the commissioner and the
applicable county in regard to the collection action.
History: 1997 c 245 art 1 s 27; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.77 GUIDELINES REVIEW.
    No later than 2006 and every four years after that, the Department of Human Services must
conduct a review of the child support guidelines.
History: 2005 c 164 s 19,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28

518A.78 WORKSHEET.
    The commissioner of human services must create and publish a worksheet to assist in
calculating child support under this chapter. The worksheet must not impose substantive
requirements other than requirements contained in this chapter. The commissioner must update
the worksheet by July 1 of each year. The commissioner must make an interactive version of the
worksheet available on the Department of Human Services Web site.
History: 2005 c 164 s 27,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28