Sole Custody Calculation
The standard guideline formula when one parent has the child the majority of the year. We make sure the inputs are right.
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OfficesFairfax | Manassas | Fredericksbug
Child Support · Virginia
Child support is your child's right.
Not anyone's punishment.
Virginia uses a guideline formula that turns gross incomes, the parenting schedule, childcare costs, and health insurance into one calculation. We help you understand the math, challenge the wrong inputs, and protect what your child actually needs.
First call is a conversation, not a commitment.
The Biggest Misconception
Equal parenting time does not always mean zero child support. Income matters. The math still runs.
§ 20-108.2
The Virginia child
support guideline statute
support guideline statute
Sets the formula
91
Overnights that trigger
the shared custody formula
the shared custody formula
Va. Code § 20-108.2(G)
15
Deviation factors
the court can consider
the court can consider
When the guideline is unjust
50+
Years of combined
experience at the firm
experience at the firm
Across three NoVa offices
How the Math Actually Works
Virginia has three child support calculations.
Which one applies to your family depends on the parenting schedule. The same incomes can produce very different support numbers, so the schedule is half the equation.
Calculation 01
Sole Custody
One parent has the child the majority of the year.
Triggers whenThe non-custodial parent has the child fewer than 91 days per year, including overnights.
How it worksThe standard guideline formula in Va. Code § 20-108.2 runs on both parents' gross incomes, childcare, and health insurance for the child.
Who paysThe non-custodial parent usually pays the custodial parent, unless the income difference flips that.
Calculation 02 · Most Asked About
Shared Custody
Each parent has the child at least 91 days a year.
Triggers whenEach parent has the child for 91 or more overnights in a year. A day means a 24-hour period; an overnight under 24 hours counts as half a day.
How it worksThe shared custody formula in Va. Code § 20-108.2(G) adjusts the basic guideline based on each parent's income share and how the days are divided.
ResultOften a lower number than sole custody for the higher earner, but rarely zero when incomes differ significantly.
Calculation 03
Split Custody
More than one child, split between parents.
Triggers whenEach parent has primary custody of at least one of the parties' children for the majority of the year.
How it worksTwo guideline calculations are run, one for each parent's primary child or children, and the results are netted against each other.
ResultOne parent typically pays a net difference based on how the two calculations compare.
Source: Virginia Child Support Guidelines, Va. Code § 20-108.2
Broader Than People Expect
What counts as income for child support.
Virginia defines income broadly. It is not just your salary. Anything that comes in from almost any source can be part of the calculation. That cuts both ways.
Salaries
Wages
Severance Pay
Bonuses
Commissions
Dividends
Spousal Support Received
Disability Benefits
Social Security Benefits
Retirement Distributions
Pensions
Other Income From All Sources
Why it matters. A parent who has W-2 wages of $60,000 plus rental income, a side business, and quarterly bonuses is not a $60,000 earner for child support purposes. We help you build the full income picture and respond when the other side tries to leave parts of theirs out.
What We Handle
Every part of a Virginia child support case.
From the first guideline calculation to a contested modification or enforcement action, here is the work we take on.
01 /
Building & calculating the order.
Shared Custody Calculation
When each parent crosses 91 overnights, the shared custody formula in Va. Code § 20-108.2(G) takes over. The math gets more complex.
91+ OvernightsSplit Custody Calculation
When you have multiple children and each parent has primary custody of at least one, two calculations are run and netted together.
Multiple ChildrenHealth Insurance Premiums
The cost of covering your child on a health, dental, or vision plan is added directly into the guideline calculation.
Add-On CostWork-Related Childcare
Daycare, after-school care, and similar costs that let you work get added to the formula. Receipts and records matter here.
Documented CostsDeviation From Guidelines
Courts can deviate from the guideline number when one of 15 specific factors makes it unjust. Travel, special needs, debt for the child, and tax effects are common reasons.
15 Factors
02 /
Changing & enforcing support.
Support Modification
When incomes change, custody changes, or insurance changes, support can be modified. We file petitions and respond to them.
Material ChangeImputed Income
When a parent is voluntarily under-employed or unemployed, the court can impute earnings based on history, education, and the local job market.
Earning CapacityDCSE Enforcement
The Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement can pursue support, issue administrative orders, and collect arrears.
State EnforcementIncome Withholding
Support can be deducted directly from a paycheck and sent through the state. The most reliable way to make sure payments arrive on time.
Automatic PaymentUnreimbursed Medical
Doctor visits, prescriptions, and dental work not covered by insurance get split between the parents. We help you collect what you are owed.
Split CostsWhen Support Ends
Generally age 18, or 19 / end of high school for full-time students still living with the receiving parent. Disability can extend it further.
EmancipationWhen Earnings Get Argued Over
Imputed income, explained simply.
When a parent quits a job, takes a pay cut, or refuses to find work to avoid paying support, the court has a tool for that. Imputed income lets a judge calculate support based on what a parent should be earning rather than what they actually are.
01
When the court considers it
The court can impute income when there is reason to believe a parent is voluntarily under-employed or unemployed without good cause. It does not apply to legitimate job loss or genuine career changes.
02
What the court looks at
The judge weighs several real-world factors before imputing a number:
- Recent earning history and pay records
- Education, certifications, and experience
- Real efforts to find or keep work
- What comparable jobs pay in the local area
03
What it changes
If income is imputed, child support is calculated using the imputed figure, not the actual paycheck. That can mean significantly higher support for the parent who tried to lower their numbers, or significantly lower expected support from the other side when their argument fails.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.
Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
A few honest things about support cases.
"The guideline number is a starting point. The story behind the inputs is where the real case lives."
-
1
The inputs decide everything
Gross income, childcare, health insurance, and overnights drive the number. We spend most of our time making sure each one is right, because a small error on any of them can move the number a lot.
-
2
Income withholding is your friend
Direct payments between parents sound easier, but late payments and partial payments are common. Income withholding through the state is more reliable for both sides, and it removes a monthly fight from your life.
-
3
Modify early, not late
If you lose a job or your hours get cut, file for modification right away. Virginia generally cannot retroactively adjust support before the date you filed, so waiting only buys you arrears you did not need.
Why Families Trust Us
Built on experience, expertise, and a real track record.
Child support is a number you live with every month. Here is what we bring to your case.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Decades of Virginia child support work across the Northern Virginia courts.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
We run guideline calculations every week. We know the statute and how local judges apply it.
Authority
AV
Preeminent Rated
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent, Super Lawyers, Avvo 10.0, and Best of the Best honors.
Trust
5★
Verified Reviews
Real reviews from real Virginia parents we have stood beside in court.
Recognition
Honored by clients and peers, year after year.
★★★★★
"She was responsive when I needed a response and looked out for my best interests. She was direct about how the process would go. I have already recommended her to friends."
Verified Client Review
In Their Own Words
Reviews from parents we have stood beside.
Read what families across Northern Virginia have shared about working with our attorneys.
Questions Parents Actually Ask
Plain answers about Virginia child support.
These are the questions we hear on a first call. If you have a different one, we are happy to answer it directly.
Have a specific question?
Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
How is child support calculated in Virginia?
Virginia calculates child support using a guideline formula in Virginia Code § 20-108.2. The formula takes the gross income of both parents, childcare costs, health insurance premiums for the child, and the custodial schedule. Three different calculations apply: sole custody (when one parent has the child fewer than 91 days), shared custody (when each parent has at least 91 days), and split custody (when multiple children are split between parents). Courts can deviate from the guideline number, but they have to document why.
Do I pay child support if we have 50/50 custody?
Not necessarily. Equal parenting time does not automatically mean zero child support. When there is a significant income difference between the parents, the higher-earning parent may still owe support even with a 50/50 schedule, because the formula is built on both parents' incomes, not just time. Some 50/50 arrangements result in no support, others result in real support payments. The math depends on the inputs.
What counts as income for child support in Virginia?
Virginia defines income broadly for child support purposes. It includes salaries, wages, severance pay, bonuses, commissions, dividends, spousal support received, disability benefits, social security benefits, retirement, pensions, and other income from all sources. The court can also impute income when a parent is voluntarily under-employed or unemployed without good reason.
What is imputed income in Virginia child support?
Imputed income is the court's determination of what a parent should be earning when the court finds that parent is voluntarily under-employed or unemployed. Virginia courts look at earning history, education level, job-search efforts, and the available work in the area. If the court imputes income, child support is calculated using that figure rather than what the parent is actually earning.
When does child support end in Virginia?
In Virginia, child support generally ends when the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting, and still lives with the parent receiving support, the order continues until age 19 or graduation, whichever comes first. Support can also continue past 18 for an adult child with a permanent physical or mental disability that began before 18 and who cannot live independently.
When You Are Ready
The number matters. Let's get it right.
Tell us about your situation and we will run the math, find the right inputs, and explain what to expect. Three offices across Northern Virginia, one phone number.