Rule 313.Confidential Numbers and Tax Returns
Last amended March 1, 2024 · Last verified July 1, 2026
Full Text of Rule 313
Advisory Committee Comments
Advisory Committee Comment--2024 Amendments
Rule 313 is amended to recognize that in 2021 the filer’s duty to designate non- public documents at the time of filing under Rule 11 was expanded beyond just financial source documents to include all non-public documents. Use of a new Cover Sheet for Non- Public Documents also replaced the Confidential Financial Source Documents cover sheet.
Amendment History
- (Amended effective March 1, 2024.)
Plain-English Summary
Rule 313 doesn't create new confidentiality protections of its own — it borrows Rule 11's and applies them across every family court case. That means restricted identifiers like Social Security numbers, employer identification numbers, and financial account numbers get the same protection in a divorce or custody case that they get in any other civil filing.
The same goes for the financial paperwork family court cases run on. Tax returns, wage stubs, credit card statements, and similar financial source documents count as non-public documents under Rule 11, and Rule 313 makes clear that treatment follows them into family court too, even though the list of examples in the rule is illustrative rather than exhaustive.
Practically, this puts the burden on the person filing. Rule 11 already requires a filer to flag restricted identifiers and non-public documents at the time of filing, rather than leaving court staff to catch them, and Rule 313 confirms that the same duty applies whether the case is a marriage dissolution, a custody dispute, or a child support proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rule 313 have its own rules for protecting Social Security numbers?
No. It applies Rule 11's existing protections for restricted identifiers and non-public documents to every family court matter instead of creating a separate set of rules.
Are tax returns confidential in a Minnesota family court case?
Yes. Tax returns, along with wage stubs and credit card statements, count as non-public financial source documents under Rule 11, which Rule 313 applies to family court.
Who is responsible for flagging a restricted identifier when filing family court paperwork?
The person filing the document, under the same duty Rule 11 imposes in any other civil case.
What counts as a restricted identifier under Rule 313?
Identifiers such as Social Security numbers, employer identification numbers, and financial account numbers.
Does Rule 313 apply to every type of family court case?
Yes, it applies to all family court matters, whether the case involves dissolution, custody, or child support.
Advisory Committee Comment--2000 Amendments
Rule 313 is new in 2000 and is designed to facilitate confidential treatment of social security numbers and tax returns in family court proceedings. Confidentiality is required under both state and federal law. See Minnesota Statutes, section 518.146 (1999 Supplement); 2000 Minnesota Laws, chapter 403 (codified as Minnesota Statutes, section 518.5513, subdivision 3); 42 U.S.C., section 666(a)(13), (c)(2)(A); 42 U.S.C., section 405(c)(2)(C)(vii). This rule relieves court administration staff from the daunting task of assuring that social security numbers and tax returns are not inadvertently disclosed and places the primary responsibility for maintaining privacy with the persons submitting the information to the court.
State law also requires the social security number to be included in each child support order. See, e.g., Minnesota Statutes, sections 256.87, subdivision 1a; 257.66; 518.171, subdivision 1(a)(2); 518.5853, subdivision 5 (1998; 1999 Supp.). This rule contemplates that inclusion of social security numbers may appropriately be accomplished by relegating social security numbers to a separate page that is referenced in the order.