Virginia Child Support Calculator
Estimate Virginia child support using our free calculator based on Virginia’s current child support guidelines. Enter both parents’ monthly gross income, applicable support adjustments, number of children, child-care expenses and health-insurance costs to estimate the presumptive guideline support amount.
Virginia generally calculates child support using the guidelines in Virginia Code § 20-108.2. The amount produced by a guideline calculation is a starting point; custody arrangements, income issues and other circumstances can affect the amount ultimately ordered by a court. Questions about how child support is calculated? View our Child Support FAQ at the bottom of this page.
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Virginia Child Support Calculator FAQs
Virginia uses statutory child support guidelines to calculate a presumptive amount of support. The calculation generally considers both parents’ gross incomes, the number of children being supported, the custody arrangement, certain health insurance costs, and work-related child-care expenses.
The parents’ combined monthly gross income is used to determine a basic child support obligation under the schedule contained in Virginia Code § 20-108.2. The obligation is then allocated between the parents according to their respective shares of the combined income, with additional calculations or adjustments depending on the custody arrangement and other allowable expenses.
Our Virginia Child Support Calculator can help you estimate the guideline amount based on the information you provide.
Virginia does not use a single flat amount or percentage for one child. The guideline amount depends on factors that include both parents’ incomes, custody, health insurance expenses, and work-related child-care costs.
For that reason, two Virginia families with one child can have substantially different child support obligations. Entering the parents’ information into the calculator above can provide an estimate based on the Virginia guidelines.
Virginia does not simply require a parent to pay a fixed percentage of his or her income as child support.
Instead, Virginia uses an “income shares” approach. The parents’ combined monthly gross income and number of children are used to determine the basic child support obligation. Each parent’s share of the obligation is then based, in part, on that parent’s proportion of the parents’ combined income.
For example, if one parent earns 60% of the parents’ combined gross income, that income share becomes part of the guideline calculation. This does not necessarily mean that parent will simply pay 60% of a particular amount, however, because custody, health insurance, child care, and other factors may affect the final calculation.
Virginia’s definition of gross income is broad. Depending on the circumstances, income used to calculate child support may include wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime pay, pensions, interest, dividends, certain capital gains, Social Security benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment benefits, and income from a business, partnership, or other source.
Certain deductions or exclusions may apply. Determining gross income can also become more complicated when a parent is self-employed, owns a business, receives irregular compensation, or is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
Because the child support calculation depends heavily on the income figures entered, use the calculator as an estimate rather than a substitute for an individualized review of your income.
No. Equal or nearly equal parenting time does not automatically eliminate child support in Virginia.
Virginia’s shared-custody formula considers both parents’ incomes and their respective custody shares, along with applicable health insurance and child-care costs. As a result, one parent may still owe child support even when the parents have approximately equal parenting time, particularly when there is a significant difference between their incomes.
Virginia uses a shared-custody child support calculation when a parent has custody or visitation with a child for more than 90 days during the year, subject to the rules defining a “day” under Virginia Code § 20-108.2.
The number of custody days matters because the shared-custody formula takes each parent’s custody share into account. A relatively small change in the parenting schedule around this threshold can therefore affect which guideline calculation applies.
For purposes of the statute, a “day” generally means a 24-hour period. Virginia law also contains a special rule for certain overnight periods lasting less than 24 hours.
When the requirements for shared custody are met, Virginia uses a different formula than the ordinary sole-custody calculation.
The shared-custody calculation considers each parent’s percentage of the combined income and each parent’s share of custody time. Virginia law also applies a multiplier to the basic support need when calculating shared-custody support, recognizing that maintaining two households for a child can increase overall costs.
This is why parenting time can make a meaningful difference in a Virginia child support calculation.
Qualifying work-related child-care expenses can be included in a Virginia child support calculation. These expenses are considered in addition to the basic child support obligation.
Child-care expenses can therefore materially change the estimated support amount, particularly for younger children who require regular daycare or before- and after-school care.
Certain costs of health care coverage for the children can be included in the Virginia child support calculation. The guidelines contain rules governing what portion of the health insurance expense may be added to the support calculation and how that expense is credited when determining the parents’ obligations.
Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses may also be allocated between the parents under Virginia law.
Generally, Virginia calculates child support using the income of the child’s legal parents, not the income of a new husband or wife.
Virginia DSS specifically states that a spouse’s income is not counted when establishing child support. However, the financial circumstances of a particular case can involve issues beyond simply entering two salaries into a calculator, so remarriage should not be assumed to have no possible relevance to any related family-law issue.
Yes. The amount produced by Virginia’s child support guidelines is presumptively correct, but that presumption can be rebutted.
A court may deviate from the guideline amount when applying it would be unjust or inappropriate based on the circumstances identified by Virginia law. Those circumstances can include custody arrangements and visitation travel costs, support for other family members, certain debts, a child’s special needs, each parent’s earning capacity and financial resources, certain tax consequences, and other relevant factors.
When a court deviates from the guidelines, Virginia law requires findings explaining the deviation.
Possibly. A significant change in income or other circumstances may provide grounds to seek a review or modification of an existing child support obligation.
A reduction in actual earnings does not necessarily mean a court will calculate support using the lower amount. Virginia law permits consideration of imputed income in certain cases involving voluntary unemployment or underemployment.
Virginia DSS states that most support orders can be reviewed every 36 months and that some orders may be reviewed sooner when circumstances significantly change.
It can. Virginia’s definition of gross income generally includes income from sources such as salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, and overtime.
Cases involving fluctuating bonuses, commissions, seasonal earnings, or overtime can be more difficult to calculate because a single month’s paycheck may not accurately reflect a parent’s income. The appropriate treatment depends on the facts and the nature of the income.
Child support commonly continues until a child reaches age 18. Virginia law provides an important exception for a child who is over 18, remains a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting, and lives in the home of the parent receiving or seeking support. In those circumstances, support generally continues until the child turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs first.
Virginia law also permits support to continue in certain circumstances involving a child with a severe and permanent mental or physical disability that began before the applicable age threshold.
A calculator can provide a useful estimate of the Virginia guideline amount, but its result should not be treated as a guarantee of what a court will order.
The accuracy of an estimate depends on the accuracy of the information entered and whether the calculator properly accounts for the applicable custody arrangement, income, child-care costs, health insurance expenses, and other relevant factors. Issues such as self-employment income, bonuses, overtime, imputed income, unusual custody arrangements, or a potential deviation from the guidelines may require additional analysis.
Use the calculator above to estimate Virginia guideline child support and speak with a Virginia family law attorney if you need advice about how the guidelines apply to your particular circumstances.
Calculator reviewed for accuracy by Jason Swango, Virginia family law attorney
Last review: August 2026
Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. The purpose of this tool is for illustrative purposes and to demonstrate the necessity of consulting with our firm. Filling out this web form does not create an attorney-client relationship. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.