Legal disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Wyoming family law is complex and state-specific. Consult a licensed Wyoming family law attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
Wyoming Single Mom Guide: Custody Laws, Child Support, Benefits, and Legal Help
Wyoming is the least populous state in the country, did not expand Medicaid under the ACA, and has one of the most conservative public benefits structures nationally. Wyoming has no state income tax, uses a percentage-of-income model for child support, and handles family law through District Courts. Wyoming’s vast geographic size — the tenth largest state by area — combined with its small population creates significant rural access challenges. Here’s what single mothers in Wyoming need to know.
Wyoming Child Support
Wyoming uses a Percentage of Income model, governed by Wyoming Statutes § 20-2-304 and the Wyoming Child Support Guidelines. Wyoming calculates child support as a percentage of the net income of the non-custodial parent.
Key Wyoming-specific facts:
- Wyoming applies these percentages to the net monthly income of the non-custodial parent (the parent with less parenting time):
- 1 child: 20% of net income
- 2 children: 25% of net income
- 3 children: 28% of net income
- 4 children: 30% of net income
- 5 or more children: 32% of net income
- Net income in Wyoming means income after federal income taxes (Wyoming has no state income tax, so no state tax deduction applies), FICA, mandatory retirement contributions, and health insurance premiums paid for the parent
- Shared custody adjustment: Wyoming’s guidelines include an adjustment when the non-custodial parent has the child for at least 40% of the overnights (approximately 146 overnights per year). Below the 40% threshold, the standard formula applies; at or above 40%, Wyoming uses an alternative calculation that considers both parents’ incomes and proportional parenting time
- Healthcare costs for the child and work-related childcare costs are handled separately — typically added to the basic obligation or addressed through specific provisions in the order
- Child support in Wyoming is enforced by the Wyoming Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program within the Department of Family Services. IV-D services are free
- Income withholding is the standard enforcement mechanism
- Child support in Wyoming continues until the child turns 18, or until age 19 if the child is still attending high school
- Wyoming does not have statutory provisions for college support
Where to apply: Wyoming Child Support | How to Apply for Child Support
Wyoming Custody Law
Wyoming handles family law through the District Court system. Wyoming uses legal custody and physical custody terminology, with visitation for the non-custodial parent’s scheduled time.
Key Wyoming-specific facts:
- Wyoming has no statutory presumption favoring either parent. Courts apply the best interest of the child standard under Wyoming Statutes § 20-2-201
- Wyoming’s best interest factors (W.S. § 20-2-201(a)) include: the quality of the relationship the child has with each parent; each parent’s ability to provide adequate care for the child throughout each period of responsibility; the relative competency and fitness of each parent; each parent’s willingness to accept all responsibilities of parenting; how the parents and child can best maintain and strengthen a relationship with each other; how the parents and each child interact and communicate with each other and how such interaction and communication may be improved; the ability and willingness of each parent to allow the other to provide care without intrusion; geographic distance between the parents’ residences; the current physical and mental ability of each parent to care for the child; and any other factors the court deems necessary and relevant
- Joint legal custody is available and common in Wyoming when parents can cooperate on major decisions. Sole legal custody is ordered when one parent is found unfit or joint decision-making is not workable
- Physical custody can be primary with one parent and scheduled visitation for the other, or shared with more equal residential time
- The child’s preference: Wyoming’s best interest factors do not explicitly list the child’s preference, but courts do consider the preferences of older, more mature children under the general “any other factors” provision and through case law
- Relocation: Wyoming Statutes § 20-2-204 governs relocation. A parent who intends to relocate with the child must provide thirty days’ written notice to the other parent and the court. The other parent can object, and the court evaluates the proposed relocation under the best interest standard. Wyoming’s best interest factors specifically include geographic distance between parents — reflecting the state’s vast geography
- Domestic violence: Wyoming’s best interest factors include each parent’s current physical and mental ability to care for the child, and courts consider domestic violence history as relevant. Wyoming has Domestic Violence Orders of Protection that can include temporary custody provisions
- Geographic distance consideration: Wyoming’s explicit inclusion of “geographic distance between the parents’ residences” as a best interest factor is notable — it reflects the practical reality of living in one of the most geographically expansive and sparsely populated states in the country
Resources: Custody Basics | Parallel Parenting vs. Co-Parenting
Wyoming Benefits and Assistance Programs
Wyoming Medicaid
Wyoming did not expand Medicaid under the ACA and remains one of the few non-expansion states. This creates a significant coverage gap:
- Adults without dependent children generally do not qualify for Wyoming Medicaid
- Parents qualify for Wyoming Medicaid at very low income thresholds
- Pregnant women qualify at somewhat higher income thresholds
- Children qualify for Medicaid or Wyoming Kids’ First (CHIP) at higher income thresholds than adults
- Adults in the coverage gap (income below 100% FPL who don’t qualify for Medicaid) fall between Medicaid and ACA marketplace subsidies
- Apply for Medicaid through the Wyoming Department of Health at wyomedicaid.com or your local Wyoming Department of Health office
- The ACA marketplace at healthcare.gov is the primary option for adults above the very low Medicaid threshold
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
Wyoming administers SNAP through the Department of Family Services (DFS). Apply online at wycounts.wyo.gov — Wyoming’s online benefits portal — or at your local DFS office.
TANF (Wyoming — POWER)
Wyoming’s TANF program is called POWER (Personal Opportunities With Employment Responsibilities):
– Wyoming has a 60-month (5-year) lifetime limit on POWER benefits, consistent with the federal TANF limit
– POWER emphasizes work and employment; work requirements apply quickly
– Wyoming’s POWER benefit levels are modest and among the lower in the Mountain West
– Apply through wycounts.wyo.gov or your local DFS office
Child Care Assistance Program
Wyoming’s childcare subsidy is administered through the Department of Family Services. Eligibility is income-based for working or training families. Apply through your local DFS office or wycounts.wyo.gov.
Additional Wyoming programs:
– WIC — apply through your local Wyoming Department of Health public health office
– LIHEAP / Wyoming Energy Assistance Program — utility assistance; important in Wyoming’s cold winters and for high-altitude communities; administered through DFS; apply in the fall
– Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) — wyomingcda.com — state housing finance agency with homebuyer programs and rental assistance
– Wyoming 2-1-1 — dial 2-1-1 for local resource referrals
Apply at: wycounts.wyo.gov — Wyoming’s WyCounts online portal for SNAP, POWER, and childcare; wyomedicaid.com for Medicaid
Wyoming Legal Help Resources
Wyoming Legal Services (WLS) — the primary statewide legal aid organization for Wyoming, providing free civil legal assistance to income-qualifying Wyoming residents. wyominglegalservices.org | Intake: 307-635-0268 (Cheyenne) or 1-800-442-6170 (statewide)
Wyoming State Bar Lawyer Referral — wyomingbar.org — attorney referral with initial consultations.
Wyoming LawHelp — wyolawhelp.org — legal information and referral for Wyoming, including family law self-help guides.
Wyoming Judicial Branch Self-Help — courts.wyo.gov/index.php/help-center — self-help resources and family law forms for Wyoming District Courts.
Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (WCADVSA): wcadvsa.org | 24-hour hotline: 1-800-990-3877
Wyoming-Specific Points Worth Knowing
Medicaid non-expansion: Wyoming’s decision not to expand Medicaid leaves many single mothers without affordable health insurance options. Adults in the coverage gap — earning too much for Wyoming’s very restricted adult Medicaid but below 100% FPL — have no subsidized insurance option. FQHCs (federally qualified health centers) provide primary care on a sliding-scale fee regardless of insurance status — find your nearest FQHC at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
No state income tax for child support: Wyoming has no state income tax, which simplifies the net income calculation for child support. Take-home pay is higher in Wyoming than in income-tax states at the same gross salary — this means Wyoming’s net income for child support purposes will be higher than it would be in income-tax states, potentially resulting in higher support obligations.
40% parenting time threshold: Wyoming’s shared custody child support adjustment activates at 40% of overnights (approximately 146 per year) — one of the higher thresholds. The standard percentage formula applies in most cases unless parenting time approaches equal sharing.
POWER as the TANF name: Wyoming’s distinctive TANF program name — POWER — appears in all program materials. When seeking cash assistance in Wyoming, POWER is the program to reference.
Wyoming Kids’ First for children: Wyoming’s CHIP program is called Wyoming Kids’ First. Even with Wyoming’s very restricted adult Medicaid, Wyoming Kids’ First covers children at income levels significantly above adult Medicaid thresholds. If your children are uninsured, check Wyoming Kids’ First eligibility separately from your own adult coverage situation.
Geographic distance in custody: Wyoming’s explicit inclusion of geographic distance between parents as a best interest factor reflects the practical reality of a state where towns can be 100+ miles apart and where custody exchanges across long distances are a routine consideration. Courts in Wyoming are accustomed to parenting plans that account for significant driving distances.
Wyoming’s vast geography and sparse population: Wyoming is the least populous state in the country, with vast distances between communities. Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, and Jackson are the largest population centers; rural Wyoming communities may be hours from any government office, court, or legal aid service. Wyoming Legal Services’ statewide intake line and the WyCounts online portal are critically important for rural Wyomingites. Courts increasingly offer video proceedings for remote participants.
Energy industry economy: Wyoming’s economy is heavily tied to energy extraction — oil, gas, and coal. This creates economic variability and geographic concentration of workers in energy-producing areas (the Powder River Basin, the Pinedale area, the Evanston/Kemmerer corridor). Single mothers in energy communities may face housing cost spikes during energy booms and economic instability during downturns.
Key Links: Wyoming Single Mom Resources
| Resource | What It Covers | Website |
|---|---|---|
| wycounts.wyo.gov | SNAP, POWER, childcare | wycounts.wyo.gov |
| wyomedicaid.com | Medicaid / Wyoming Kids’ First | wyomedicaid.com |
| healthcare.gov | ACA marketplace | healthcare.gov |
| Wyoming Child Support | Child support services | dfs.wyo.gov/child-support-enforcement |
| Wyoming Legal Services | Free legal help statewide | wyominglegalservices.org |
| Wyoming LawHelp | Legal information and referral | wyolawhelp.org |
| WY Judicial Branch Self-Help | Family law forms | courts.wyo.gov/index.php/help-center |
| WCADVSA | Domestic violence resources | wcadvsa.org |
| Wyoming 2-1-1 | Local social services | Dial 2-1-1 |