{"id":376919,"date":"2018-11-07T16:47:34","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T21:47:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/virginia-law\/virginia-child-support-calculations.html"},"modified":"2025-04-04T15:11:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T20:11:04","slug":"virginia-child-support-calculations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/virginia-law\/virginia-child-support-calculations.html","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Child Support Calculations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Virginia Child Support Calculations<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Under Virginia law, parents who divorce, separate, or are never together remain financially responsible for their children. In most child custody arrangements<\/a>, the parties split custody and agree to co-parent their minor children.<\/p>\r\n

In most cases, the parties name one parent as having primary physical custody<\/a>. The other party becomes the non-custodial parent (NCP). There are also cases where one parent has sole custody of their children. In this type of child support case, the NCP should expect to pay more than they would if they had joint custody.<\/p>\r\n

If you’re dealing with child support issues, you should seek legal advice from a Virginia child support attorney<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Typically, the NCP must pay child support<\/a> to the other parent. This is because the custodial parent has the children for more days per month than the other. For example, a common custody schedule is for the NCP to have their children every other weekend and perhaps on weeknights every week.<\/p>\r\n

Given that the NCP has the children for fewer overnight visits, they should pay child support to the custodial parent. Virginia follows the "income-shares model<\/a>" of child support, which states that children should get the same proportion of their parents’ support that they enjoyed together.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we’ll explain how the Virginia courts determine child support. We’ll briefly discuss Virginia’s child support guidelines and what to do if your ex refuses to pay their child support obligations. If you need help, contact an experienced family law attorney<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

How Does the Income-Shares Model Work?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The income-shares model of calculating child support<\/a> states that children should receive the same proportion of parental income<\/a> they received when the parents were together.<\/p>\r\n

The courts calculate child support based on the parents’ gross income<\/a>. The primary source of the parents’ monthly gross income is their salaries, but the courts also include other sources of income.<\/p>\r\n

When calculating child support payments, the courts consider the following types of income:<\/p>\r\n