It is one of the most common assumptions we correct in consultations: “We’re doing week on, week off – so no one pays child support, right?” Not quite. In Virginia, equal time changes the math, but it does not automatically zero out support. Here is how the shared custody formula actually works.
The Ninety-Day Threshold
Virginia’s shared custody guideline applies when the parent paying support has the children for more than ninety days per year. A “day” is generally a twenty-four-hour period, with half-days counted in some circumstances. Below ninety days, the standard sole-custody formula applies with no credit for visitation time.
How the Shared Formula Works
The shared calculation increases the total support obligation (recognizing that two full households cost more than one), then allocates it based on each parent’s share of income and each parent’s share of custody days. The practical effect: the more days the paying parent has, the lower the transfer payment – but unless both parents earn similar incomes, a payment usually remains even at 50/50 time.
The Income Gap Is What Matters at 50/50
With a true equal schedule, support flows from the higher earner to the lower earner in an amount driven by the income difference. A parent earning twice what the other earns will pay meaningful support even sharing time equally – Virginia’s policy is that children should experience reasonably comparable standards of living in both homes.
Watch the Add-Ons
Health insurance premiums and work-related childcare ride on top of the base calculation and are divided by income share. In shared arrangements, agreements should also spell out how sports fees, school costs, and unreimbursed medical expenses divide – the small recurring costs cause more conflict than the support check itself.
Get the Count Right
Because the formula pivots on days, schedule counting matters – and we see creative counting on both sides. Before agreeing to any number, have the calculation run properly with a verified calendar and true income figures. It is a half-hour of lawyer time that protects years of payments.
Talk to a Child Support Lawyer in Roanoke or Salem, VA
Advocate Law, PLLC helps parents throughout Roanoke, Salem, and the surrounding valley with child support, custody, divorce, and family law matters. Call (540) 343-9800 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.