Welcome. This Child Support Calculator allows Virginia parents to reasonably estimate their child support payments. We are happy to maintain this calculator as a community service. Please note this calculator is no substitute for one of our skilled child custody and support lawyers meeting with you privately in our law office to review not only your family's "numbers," but also to fundamentally strengthen your child support case.

It will be helpful to have the following four figures written down before you begin:

  1. number of overnights each parent has in a calendar-365-night year of visitation;
  2. annual, pre-tax, total income for both parents;
  3. monthly cost for daycare, if any;
  4. monthly cost for health insurance for child-only (if pay stub includes parent + child, enter the amount for child-only; a reasonable estimate is fine).
Help icons can be clicked to reveal additional information below the input fields.
Start  
Total days each parent has custody per year/365 days *
How to count days of custody
  • 24 hrs = 1 day
  • < 24 hrs + overnight = 1/2 day
  • 6am to 6pm is NOT 1/2 day
  • 6pm to 6am IS 1/2 day
Number of children for whom support is sought  *
Income  
1. Monthly Gross Income  * (pre-tax total, in other words, what your W-2 says you earn)
Determining monthly income

Use monthly financial information rounded to the nearest dollar in making these calculations. To convert data to monthly figures,

  • multiply weekly financial data by 4.33
  • multiply bi-weekly financial data by 2.167
  • multiply semi-monthly financial data by 2
  • divide annual financial data by 12

Amounts of $.50 or more should be rounded up to the nearest dollar; amounts less than $.50 should be rounded down to the nearest dollar.

Gross income is defined by Virginia Code § 20-108.2(C).

a. Gross income "shall mean all income from all sources, and shall include, but not be limited to, income from salaries, wages, commissions, royalties,bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, social security benefits, worker's compensation benefits, disability insurance benefits, veterans' benefits, spousal support, rental income, gifts, prizes or awards. If a parent's gross income includes disability insurance benefits, it shall also include any amounts paid to or for the child who is the subject of the order and derived by the child from the parent's entitlement to disability insurance benefits."

b. Gross income "shall not include benefits from public assistance programs as defined in Virginia Code § 63.2-100 [Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, auxiliary grants to the aged, blind and disabled, medical assistance, energy assistance, food stamps, employment services, child care, general relief] federal Supplemental Security benefits, child support received, or income received by the payor from secondary employment income not previously included in "gross income," where the payor obtained the income to discharge a child support arrearage established by a court or administrative order and the payor is paying the arrearage pursuant to the order."

2. Adjustments for spousal support payments
Spousal Adjustments

If spousal support is being paid by a party pursuant to an existing court or administrative order or written agreement, regardless of whether it is being paid to the other party or to a person not a party to this proceeding, subtract that amount under the payor's column. If spousal support is being received by a party pursuant to an existing court or administrative order or written agreement, regardless of whether it is being paid by the other party to this proceeding, add the amount under the payee's column. Use plus and minus signs appropriately. If a party is not paying or receiving spousal support, leave the appropriate field(s) blank.

3. Adjustments for support of other child(ren) (children from other relationships that you or the other parent pays child support)
Support Adjustments

When a party is paying child support payments pursuant to an existing court or administrative order or written agreement for a child or children who are not the subject of the proceeding, subtract this amount from gross income. When a party has a child or children who are not the subject of the proceeding in their household or primary physical custody, subtract the amount as shown on the schedule of Monthly Basic Child Support Obligations that represents that party's support obligation for that child or children based solely on the party's income as the total income available. If these provisions are inapplicable, leave the appropriate field(s) blank. There is only a presumption that these amounts will be deducted from gross income.

4. Deductions from Monthly gross Income allowable by law
Income deductions

(Virginia Code § 20-108.2(C)) If either parent has income from self-employment, a partnership or a closely-held business, subtract reasonable business expenses under the column of the party with such income. Include one-half of any self-employment tax paid, if applicable. If none, leave field(s) blank.

5. a. Available monthly income
Available monthly income

As applicable, the figures in lines 2, 3 and 4 are added to, or subtracted from line 1.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

5. b. Combined monthly available income
Available combined monthly income

Both figures from 5. a. are added together.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

Child Support Needs  
6. Each parent's custody share
Custody Share

This is the percentage each parent has custodial access to the children.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

7. a. Monthly basic child support obligation
Basic support obligation

Using § 20-108.2(B) SCHEDULE OF MONTHLY BASIC CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS, use line 5.b. (combined monthly available income) to find the applicable income level under COMBINED GROSS INCOME, then use line 6 (number of children) to determine the basic child support obligation under the appropriate column at the applicable income level.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

7. b. Monthly amount allowable for health coverage
Health coverage allowance

(Virginia Code §§ 20-108.2(E) and 63.2-1900) Insert costs for "health care coverage" for the child or children who are the subject of the child support order that are being paid by a parent or that parent's spouse. To determine the cost to be added to the basic child support obligation, the cost per person shall be applied to the child or children who are subject of the child support order. If the per child cost is provided by the insurer, that is the cost per person. Otherwise, to determine the cost per person, the cost of individual coverage for the policy holder shall be subtracted from the total cost of the coverage, and the remaining amount shall be divided by the number of remaining covered persons.

"Health care coverage" means any plan providing hospital, medical or surgical care coverage for dependent children provided such coverage is available and can be obtained by a parent, parents, or a parent's spouse at a "reasonable cost" (defined as "available, in an amount not to exceed 5% of the parents' combined gross income, and accessible through employers, unions or other groups, or Department-sponsored health care coverage, without regard to service delivery mechanism"). This item should also include the cost of any vision care coverage and any dental care coverage for the child or children paid by a parent, or that parent's spouse.

This figure should not exceed 5% of the parents' combined gross income.

7. c. Monthly amount allowable for work-related childcare expenses
Work-related expenses

(Virginia Code § 20-108.2(F)) Insert actual cost or the amount required to provide quality child care, whichever is less. If applicable, allocate ratably between employment-related child care and other child care based on custodian's activities while child care is being provided.

8. Total monthly child support obligation
Total monthly obligation

This is the amount the non-primary custodial parent, or in shared cases, the higher wage earner, will pay the co-parent.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

8. Total Shared Support
Total shared support

This is the amount the non-primary custodial parent, or in shared cases, the higher wage earner, will pay the co-parent.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

Each party's support obligation to other party  
9. Percent obligation of each party
Percent obligation

This is the percentage you shall split unreimbursed medical expenses for the child, and if privately agreed upon, the amount you will respectively split mutually agreed upon activity costs.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

10. Monthly child support obligation of each party
Monthly support obligation

This is the total amount of one another's income that is earmarked by the state as likely needed for the support of the children at-issue.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

10. Each party's support obligation to other party
Support obligation per party

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

11. Deduction by non-custodial parent for health care coverage when paid directly by non-custodial parent or non-custodial parent's spouse
Non-custodial health deduction

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

11. Net monthly child support payable
Payable net monthly

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

Adjustments (if any) to child support calculation  
12. a. Credit for benefits received by or for the child derived from the parent's entitlement to disability insurance benefits to the extent that such derivative benefits are included in a parent's gross income
Credit for benefits

If amounts paid to or for the child who is the subject of the order and derived by the child from the parent's entitlement to disability insurance benefits have been included in a parent's gross income, that amount should be subtracted from that parent's child support obligation.

12. b. If applicable, additional support factors (use +/- for amount).
Additional support factors

(Virginia Code § 20-108.1(B)) If applicable, describe adjustment to child support for factors not addressed in guidelines calculation, then show amount to be added to or subtracted from each party-parent's child support obligation (use plus and minus signs appropriately).

Remember, pay close attention to the pay stub--voluntary retirement matching contributions or withholdings for elective benefits such as life insurance count as income. So be sure to use a pre-tax income figure, and count elective, voluntary contributions listed on the pay stub. Cash based income can be hard to determine, so perhaps draw from evidence of deposits. Finally, contributions from family members to pay for housing, food, and expenses, count as income for purposes of calculating child support. Earnings from a new spouse do not count as income for calculating child support.

12. c. Additional support factors (use +/- for amount).
Additional support factors

If applicable, describe adjustment to child support for factors not addressed in guidelines calculation, then show amount to be added to or subtracted from each party-parent's child support obligation (use plus and minus signs appropriately).

Remember, pay close attention to the pay stub--voluntary retirement matching contributions or withholdings for elective benefits such as life insurance count as income. So be sure to use a pre-tax income figure, and count elective, voluntary contributions listed on the pay stub. Cash based income can be hard to determine, so perhaps draw from evidence of deposits. Finally, contributions from family members to pay for housing, food, and expenses, count as income for purposes of calculating child support. Earnings from a new spouse do not count as income for calculating child support.

13. Each party's adjusted share
Adjusted Share

If additional items are entered in lines 12 (a-c), add and subtract such items from line 10 and enter the totals on this line. In cases involving split custody, the amount of child support to be calculated using these guidelines shall be the difference between the amounts owed by each parent as a noncustodial parent, computed in accordance with these guidelines, with the noncustodial parent owing the larger amount paying the difference to the other parent.

For the purpose of applying these provisions, split custody shall be limited to those situations where each parent has physical custody of a child or children born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. For the purposes of calculating a child support obligation where split custody exists, a separate family unit exists for each parent, and child support for that family unit shall be calculated upon the number of children in that family unit who are born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. Where split custody exists, a parent is a custodial parent to the children in that parent's family unit and is a noncustodial parent to the children in the other parent's family unit.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

13. Total adjusted support
Adjusted support

If additional items are entered in lines 12 (a-c), add and subtract such items from line 10 and enter the totals on this line. In cases involving split custody, the amount of child support to be calculated using these guidelines shall be the difference between the amounts owed by each parent as a noncustodial parent, computed in accordance with these guidelines, with the noncustodial parent owing the larger amount paying the difference to the other parent.

For the purpose of applying these provisions, split custody shall be limited to those situations where each parent has physical custody of a child or children born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. For the purposes of calculating a child support obligation where split custody exists, a separate family unit exists for each parent, and child support for that family unit shall be calculated upon the number of children in that family unit who are born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. Where split custody exists, a parent is a custodial parent to the children in that parent's family unit and is a noncustodial parent to the children in the other parent's family unit.

This field is auto-calculated for your convenience.

Support Details  
 
You ()
Other ()
Combined
Custody
Total days each parent has custody
0
0
 
Number of children
 
 
0
Income
1. Monthly Gross Income
$0.00
$0.00
 
2. Adjustments for spousal support payments
$0.00
$0.00
 
3. Adjustments for support of child(ren)
$0.00
$0.00
 
4. Deductions from Monthly gross Income
$0.00
$0.00
 
5. a. Available monthly income
$0.00
$0.00
 
5. b. Combined monthly available income
 
 
$0.00
Needs
6. Each parent's custody share
0%
0%
 
7. a. Monthly basic child support obligation
 
 
$0.00
7. b. Monthly health coverage
 
 
$0.00
7. c. Monthly work-related child care expenses
 
 
$0.00
8. Total monthly child support obligation
 
 
$0.00
Support
9. Percent obligation of each party
0%
0%
 
10. Monthly child support obligation of each party
$0.00
$0.00
 
11. Deduction by non-custodial parent for health care coverage when paid directly by non-custodial parent or non-custodial parent's spouse
$0.00
 
 
Adjustments
12. a. Credit for benefits received by or for the child derived from the parent's entitlement to disability insurance benefits to the extent that such derivative benefits are included in a parent's gross income
$0.00
$0.00
 
12. b.
$0.00
$0.00
 
12. c.
$0.00
$0.00
 
13. Each party's adjusted share
$0.00
$0.00
 
Proposed Child Support to  Receiving Party
TOTAL
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Disclaimer: Smith Strong's Child Support Calculator is a free service to our prospective clients in Virginia. Please note, legal calculators and guides are no substitute for personal legal advice, customized to fit your family law matter. Please do not rely, solely, on this calculator for your child support calculation or legal matter. We encourage you to use this calculator to give you a rough idea of what child support will total in your case. Please give us a call to schedule your SMARTSTART comprehensive case preparation meeting at 804.325.1245 to understand your options and strategy uniquely tailored to your child support case. Thank you!