New year, new you, new child support formula manual. Unlike your New Year’s resolutions, the 2025 Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF) manual must be adhered to for the next four years until another version is implemented.
Nothing earth shattering has been changed in the 2025 version, although several things are worth mentioning. The annual ordinary medical amount that the payee of support must pay first before unreimbursed health care costs for the children are divided between the parties has actually been reduced. Prior formulas only increased the minimum amount the payee had to spend before the percentage split kicked in. However, the 2025 MCSF lowered the amount from $454 per year per child to $200 per year per child.
The new manual emphasizes that the payer of support pre-pays his or her percentage as part of the monthly support amount – while this is not new, clarification is helpful.
Uninsured health care costs for the children incurred by both the recipient and payer of support are subject to division.
Day care costs also have a new expiration date. The prior formula provided that child care costs could be included until August 31st following the child’s 12th birthday. Now, child care continues until the last day of the month that the child is under the age of 13. Of course, a court can extend the child care expiration date should it be necessary to do so for that specific case and child.
If a parent is incurring costs associated with his or her incarceration or conviction, those recurring payments can be deducted when calculating child support. This does not apply if the crime was failure to support children, or committed against the children in the case (or their sibling), the other parent or custodian.
Along with a new formula comes updated SCAO forms – be sure to use the most recent Uniform Child Support Orders and Deviation Addendum when submitting your support orders to the court. The Friend of the Court approval process should catch if an old form has been used, but it’s always easier to have it right the first time.
Sticking with the 2025 MCSF manual is easy because you don’t have a choice – and good luck with the rest of your resolutions.
—————
Marie Matyjaszek is a Judicial Attorney at the Washtenaw County Trial Court; however, the views expressed in this column are her own. She can be reached by emailing her at matyjasz@hotmail.com.
Nothing earth shattering has been changed in the 2025 version, although several things are worth mentioning. The annual ordinary medical amount that the payee of support must pay first before unreimbursed health care costs for the children are divided between the parties has actually been reduced. Prior formulas only increased the minimum amount the payee had to spend before the percentage split kicked in. However, the 2025 MCSF lowered the amount from $454 per year per child to $200 per year per child.
The new manual emphasizes that the payer of support pre-pays his or her percentage as part of the monthly support amount – while this is not new, clarification is helpful.
Uninsured health care costs for the children incurred by both the recipient and payer of support are subject to division.
Day care costs also have a new expiration date. The prior formula provided that child care costs could be included until August 31st following the child’s 12th birthday. Now, child care continues until the last day of the month that the child is under the age of 13. Of course, a court can extend the child care expiration date should it be necessary to do so for that specific case and child.
If a parent is incurring costs associated with his or her incarceration or conviction, those recurring payments can be deducted when calculating child support. This does not apply if the crime was failure to support children, or committed against the children in the case (or their sibling), the other parent or custodian.
Along with a new formula comes updated SCAO forms – be sure to use the most recent Uniform Child Support Orders and Deviation Addendum when submitting your support orders to the court. The Friend of the Court approval process should catch if an old form has been used, but it’s always easier to have it right the first time.
Sticking with the 2025 MCSF manual is easy because you don’t have a choice – and good luck with the rest of your resolutions.
—————
Marie Matyjaszek is a Judicial Attorney at the Washtenaw County Trial Court; however, the views expressed in this column are her own. She can be reached by emailing her at matyjasz@hotmail.com.
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