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Who carries the children's coverage, and how the premium factors into support.
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Mediation / Child Support
Child Support · Virginia
The guideline is the start, not the whole story.
Virginia's child support guideline gives you a presumptive number. Mediation lets you build around it: how special expenses get shared, how the schedule affects the math, and how and when payments happen. The figure matters, but so do the details that the figure alone never captures.
First call is a conversation, not a commitment.
The Short Answer
Virginia has guideline child support under Va. Code § 20-108.2, and that guideline number is a presumptive starting point. In mediation you can address special expenses, schedule details, and timing around that number, but a court still reviews child support to make sure it serves the child, and significant departures from the guideline need to be justified.
How It Works
Around the number, not just the number.
Child support is different from most things in a divorce, because it does not really belong to either parent. It belongs to the child. That is why Virginia sets a guideline and why a court always keeps an eye on the result. Understanding what mediation can and cannot do here saves a lot of confusion.
What the guideline is
Virginia calculates a base child support figure using a formula set out in Va. Code § 20-108.2. It runs on the parents' incomes, the number of children, the custody arrangement, and certain costs like health insurance and work-related child care. The result is presumed to be correct, which is why people call it the guideline number. It is the starting point for any conversation about support.
What mediation can do around it
The guideline produces a base figure, but real families have more than a base figure to sort out. Mediation is the place to work through the pieces that surround it: how unreimbursed medical costs get split, who carries health insurance, how work-related child care is shared, and how school expenses and activities are handled. You can also agree on the practical mechanics, when payment is made each month and by what method, which prevents a lot of friction down the line. These details often matter to families as much as the base number.
What mediation cannot quietly do
Here is the honest limit. Because support belongs to the child, parents cannot simply agree to a number far below the guideline and expect it to sail through. A court reviews child support and can decline to approve an amount that does not serve the child. Departures from the guideline are allowed, but they need a documented reason. Mediation is a great place to discuss those reasons and reach an agreement; it is not a way to bargain support away.
How it becomes official
Once you reach agreement, the figure and the surrounding terms are written up and submitted to the court. The court reviews the amount, confirms it is appropriate for the child, and enters it as an order. A clear agreement built around the guideline is usually approved, and you get the benefit of having shaped the details yourselves.
The guidelineA presumptive base figure under Va. Code § 20-108.2.
DriversIncomes, number of children, custody arrangement, insurance, child care.
Mediation addsHow extras are shared, and the timing and method of payment.
The limitSupport belongs to the child; big departures need a documented reason.
SourceVa. Code § 20-108.2 (child support guideline).
Support Belongs To The Child
Parents cannot simply agree to a number well below the guideline and expect it to pass. A court reviews child support and can decline an amount that does not serve the child. Mediation shapes the details around the guideline; it does not bargain support away.
Source: Va. Code § 20-108.2
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Founding Partner
Attorney Insight
A few honest things about child support.
"People want to negotiate the support number like it is theirs to trade. It is not. It is the child's. What you can shape is everything around it."
I spend a lot of time resetting expectations here. The guideline number is the guideline number, and a court will look at it, so trying to bargain it down to nothing is not a strategy. But that does not mean mediation has nothing to offer on support. The real value is in the details: who pays for the braces, how the daycare bill splits, when the payment lands each month. Those are the things that cause fights later if they are left vague, and they are exactly what a thoughtful agreement nails down. I would rather a client spend their energy there than waste it fighting the formula.
Questions Families Ask
Plain answers about child support.
These are the questions parents ask most about support in mediation. If yours is not here, we are happy to answer it directly.
Have a specific question?
Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Can child support be decided in mediation?
Yes, within limits. Virginia has guideline child support under Va. Code § 20-108.2, and that guideline number is a presumptive starting point. In mediation you can address special expenses, schedule details, and timing around that number, but a court still reviews child support to make sure it serves the child, and significant departures from the guideline need to be justified.
Is the Virginia guideline number final?
It is a presumptive starting point, not an automatic final figure. The guideline calculation under Va. Code § 20-108.2 is presumed correct, but it can be adjusted for documented factors. Mediation is a good place to discuss those factors and reach an agreement, which the court then reviews before it becomes an order.
What extra expenses can mediation address beyond base support?
Mediation can work through how parents share costs like health insurance, work-related child care, unreimbursed medical expenses, school costs, and activities. It can also set timing and method of payment. These details often matter as much to families as the base number itself.
Does a mediated support agreement need court approval?
Yes. Because child support belongs to the child, a court reviews the agreed amount to confirm it is appropriate before entering it as an order. A clear agreement built around the guideline is usually approved, but the court keeps the final say.
When You Are Ready
Get the details right.
Tell us about your situation, and we will help you build a support arrangement that meets the guideline and settles the details that matter to your family. Three offices across Northern Virginia, one phone number.