Wisconsin sets child support percentages under Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter DCF 150, using the percentage-of-income standard rather than a lookup table for most cases. The current low-income schedule took effect March 1, 2026, and the rule includes separate high-income brackets, a serial-family adjustment for parents with support obligations from more than one relationship, and both shared- and split-placement calculations.
Key facts
| Model | Percentage of income standard — Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 150 |
|---|---|
| Low-income schedule | Current edition eff. 2026-03-01 |
| Other adjustments | High-income brackets; serial-family adjustment; shared/split placement |
Official source: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/dcf/101_199/150
Custody arrangements covered
- Shared placement
- Split placement
Frequently asked questions
What rule governs Wisconsin child support?
Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter DCF 150, using a percentage-of-income standard.
What is Wisconsin’s low-income schedule?
The current edition, effective March 1, 2026, applies to lower-income cases instead of the standard percentage.
What is Wisconsin’s serial-family adjustment?
An adjustment for parents who already have a support obligation from a prior relationship, before the current case’s percentage is applied.
Does Wisconsin distinguish shared and split placement?
Yes — both shared placement and split placement have their own calculations under DCF 150.
Update history
- — Fixed handling of negative prior-support-obligation entries, and corrected a disclaimer that incorrectly said shared/split placement wasn't supported.
- — Wisconsin went live under DCF ch. 150, using the percentage-of-income standard with the current low-income schedule (effective 2026-03-01), high-income brackets, serial-family adjustment, and shared/split placement.