How Is Child Support Calculated in Virginia?

Child support in Virginia is calculated using a structured formula written into state law. The formula is presumptive, meaning the court must follow it unless there is a documented reason to deviate. Understanding how the calculation actually works — not just the headline number — matters because almost every variable can be challenged or supported in court.

The Virginia Child-Support Formula in Plain English

Virginia uses an income-shares model. The calculation proceeds in five steps:

1. Determine each parent’s gross monthly income. Wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, business income, rental income, pension and retirement income, social security, unemployment, and other recurring income sources all count.
2. Combine the two incomes. The combined monthly income is the starting point.
3. Look up the basic obligation from the schedule in § 20-108.2(B) based on the combined income and the number of children.
4. Add adjustments for actual costs: work-related childcare and the children’s health-insurance premium.
5. Allocate the total between the parents based on each parent’s share of combined income. The non-custodial parent typically pays their share to the custodial parent.

A Worked Example: Sole Custody

Assume two parents with one minor child. Parent A earns $8,000 per month gross. Parent B earns $4,000 per month gross. Parent A pays $300 per month for the child’s health insurance. Parent B has the child for fewer than 90 days per year (so the sole-custody guideline applies).

• Combined income: $12,000;
• Basic obligation (1 child, illustrative): approximately $1,395 per month;
• Add health insurance: $1,395 + $300 = $1,695;
• Parent B’s share of combined income: $4,000 ÷ $12,000 = 33.3%;
• Parent B’s presumptive child-support obligation: $1,695 × 33.3% = approximately $565 per month;
• Parent A receives credit for paying the $300 health-insurance premium, adjusting the net.

Actual numbers will differ based on the current statutory schedule. The example illustrates the structure, not the precise current figures.

How Does Shared Custody Change the Calculation?

Virginia has two guidelines: sole custody (one parent has the child fewer than 90 days per year) and shared custody (each parent has the child at least 90 days per year). The shared-custody formula in § 20-108.2(G)(3) accounts for the fact that both parents are directly paying for the child during their custody time.

The shared-custody formula uses a 1.4 multiplier on the basic obligation (recognizing duplicated costs in two households), then allocates and adjusts for the actual custody-time split. A parent with 50/50 custody and substantially higher income typically still pays support — but less than they would under the sole-custody formula.

What Counts as Income for Virginia Child Support?

The statute defines “gross income” broadly. It includes:

• Salary, wages, and commissions;
• Bonuses and incentive pay (including stock-based compensation in many cases);
• Self-employment income (gross receipts minus reasonable business expenses);
• Rental income;
• Pension and retirement income;
• Social Security retirement and disability;
• Unemployment, workers’ compensation, and disability;
• Spousal support received from a prior relationship;
• Severance pay.

Some income is excluded, including means-tested public assistance and certain veterans’ benefits. For self-employed parents, “reasonable business expenses” is often heavily contested.

What Adjustments Are Added to the Basic Obligation?

• Work-related childcare — the actual cost of childcare necessary to allow a parent to work or attend school is added to the basic obligation;
• Children’s health-insurance premium — the portion of the health-insurance premium attributable to covering the children;
• Extraordinary medical expenses — uninsured medical costs in excess of $250 per year per child may be apportioned.

When Will the Court Deviate from the Guideline?

The guideline is presumptive, not mandatory. Virginia Code § 20-108.1(B) lists factors the court considers in deciding whether to deviate:

• Actual monetary support for other family members;
• Custody arrangements (especially where parenting time doesn’t fit either guideline cleanly);
• Voluntary unemployment or underemployment;
• Debts incurred for the benefit of the child;
• Direct payments by a parent for school, camp, or healthcare;
• Special needs of the child;
• Tax consequences;
• The parties’ written agreement;
• Any other relevant factor.

The court must put any deviation in writing and explain why the guideline figure would be unjust or inappropriate.

How Are High Incomes Handled?

The statutory schedule extends to a combined gross monthly income of $35,000 (current as of 2026). For incomes above the schedule, the court applies the highest schedule figure plus a discretionary additional percentage based on the children’s reasonable needs and the standard of living the children would have enjoyed but for the dissolution.

Above-guideline cases often involve detailed lifestyle analysis — private school tuition, summer programs, tutoring, healthcare, extracurriculars, travel — to establish the appropriate support level.

How Long Does Child Support Last in Virginia?

Child support generally continues until the child turns 18. It extends to age 19 if the child is still a full-time high-school student, not self-supporting, and living with the parent receiving support. Support can also continue beyond age 18 for a child with a severe disability that renders the child incapable of self-support, if the court so orders.

Can Child Support Be Modified?

Yes. Virginia child support can be modified when there is a material change in circumstances. A change of 15 percent or more in the guideline calculation creates a presumption of materiality. Common triggers include job loss, significant income change, a change in custody schedule, the birth of another child, and changes in healthcare or childcare costs.

See Custody and Support Modification for the procedural framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Virginia child support paid until age 18 or 21?

Age 18 in most cases. It can extend to 19 if the child is still a full-time high-school student living with the support recipient.

Does my spouse’s new spouse’s income count?

No. A stepparent’s income is not included in the Virginia child-support calculation. Only the two biological or adoptive parents’ incomes are counted.

What if my spouse refuses to work?

Virginia courts can impute income to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent. Imputation is typically based on prior earnings, education, work history, and labor-market availability. The court may require expert testimony from a vocational evaluator in contested cases.

Does Virginia child support cover college?

No. Virginia courts do not order college support absent a written agreement between the parties. College contributions can be addressed in a Property Settlement Agreement, where they are enforceable as a contract.

Can I calculate Virginia child support online?

The Virginia Department of Social Services publishes an official guideline worksheet. The worksheet produces the presumptive figure but does not assess deviation arguments, imputation, or non-standard income (self-employment, stock comp, variable bonuses). For any case where those factors are present, the worksheet is a starting point, not a final answer.

Talk to a Northern Virginia Child-Support Attorney

For an initial calculation, a deviation argument, an imputation analysis, or a modification petition, call 703-385-8722 or request a confidential consultation. See also our Child Support practice page.

Support is calculated the same way whether a marriage ends by divorce or is annulled — see our annulment page on why children of an annulled marriage keep every legal right.

Virginia child support questions

Is the guideline figure binding on the court?
No. Virginia Code § 20-108.2 creates a rebuttable presumption that the guideline amount is correct. A court may order a different figure, but it must state its reasons for departing from the guideline.

What counts as gross income?
More than salary. Bonuses, commissions, self-employment and business income, overtime where it is reliable, and vesting equity compensation are all commonly included. Disputes about what belongs in the income figure decide far more Northern Virginia cases than disputes about the arithmetic.

Does equal shared custody eliminate support?
No. Shared custody is calculated on a different worksheet from sole custody, but equal or near-equal time does not automatically end the obligation, particularly where the parents' incomes differ significantly.

What if a parent is deliberately earning less?
A court can impute income based on earning capacity where a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. It requires evidence rather than suspicion.

Are health insurance and childcare included?
The calculation accounts for the cost of health care coverage for the child and work-related child care costs. Both appear as separate lines on the court's worksheet and both have to be evidenced rather than asserted.

When does child support end in Virginia?
Generally at age 18, with a limited extension for a child still in high school, and further provision where a child is severely and permanently disabled. College costs are not part of the guideline, though parents may agree to share them in writing.

Can a support order be changed later?
Yes, on a material change in circumstances — a substantial change in either parent's income, a change in the custody arrangement, or a change in the child's needs. See custody and support modification.

Related reading

For the guideline explained alongside the Commonwealth's official calculator and the courts' own worksheets, see our Virginia child support calculator guide. Practice areas: child support, child custody, modifications. Local guidance: Fairfax family law and Northern Virginia.