Child Support

Child support is set by statue in the state of Iowa:

What does this mean?

In Iowa, the law states that both parents owe a duty of support for a child, or children. The Iowa Supreme Court has set Iowa Child Support Guidelines that are followed by the Iowa Child Support Recovery Unit (CSRU) and the District Courts.

There are two ways to establish child support. A person can initiate a child support case through the Iowa Child Support Recovery Unit, or a person can file a lawsuit in District Court to establish child support. Initiating a case through CSRU is free, however, CSRU does not always take all factors into consideration when setting a child support amount. If you dispute the amount of child support set by CSRU, you will need to file in court to have it reviewed.

Once set, child support can be modified. There must be a reason to modify, such as a parent making more money, making less money, or obtaining private health insurance coverage for the child. The State of Iowa requires that each child that is the subject of a child support order has to be covered under health insurance. The health insurance can be the State's medicaid insurance, HAWK-I, or private insurance through a parent or step-parent.