Virginia Child Support Calculator (2026)
Virginia calculates child support under income-shares guidelines (Va. Code § 20-108.2). Estimate the guideline amount below.
Income basis: combined monthly gross income of both parents.
Enter the income above to see the guideline estimate.
Simplified guideline estimate, interpolated from the official schedule — before health-insurance, childcare, and parenting-time adjustments. For the exact figure use the official Virginia calculator.
Your Case Details
Answer a few questions to see your estimated range.
Approximate gap between higher-earner and lower-earner.
Estimated Monthly Support
$840 — $1,560
State formulas vary significantly. This estimate uses national averages — your state's guidelines may produce a different number.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Virginia uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes are combined, the official schedule sets a basic support obligation, and each parent owes their proportional share (Va. Code § 20-108.2). The calculator above interpolates the official schedule for a quick estimate — health-insurance, child-care, and parenting-time adjustments come on top.
How Virginia Calculates Child Support
Virginia uses the Income Shares model under Va. Code § 20-108.2: courts and DCSE combine both parents' monthly gross incomes, look up the combined amount on the Schedule of Monthly Basic Child Support Obligations, which is written directly into the statute text itself (not a separate agency table), and then split the basic obligation between the parents in proportion to each parent's share of the combined income. The schedule was substantially revised effective July 1, 2025 (SB 805, 2025 Va. Acts ch. 702) — the first update since 2014 — raising guideline amounts across nearly all income levels and extending the top bracket of the schedule from $35,000 to $42,500 in combined monthly gross income.
Statutory basis: Va. Code § 20-108.2. Exact figure: official Virginia calculator.
Official Schedule — Excerpt
Basic support obligation at selected combined incomes (combined monthly gross income of both parents), from the official Virginia schedule:
| Combined income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $554 | $836 | $1,045 |
| $5,000 | $872 | $1,304 | $1,637 |
| $8,000 | $1,121 | $1,642 | $2,089 |
| $10,000 | $1,251 | $1,824 | $2,308 |
Worked Example
Two parents have a combined monthly gross income of $5,000 (Parent A earns $3,000 = 60% of the total; Parent B earns $2,000 = 40%) and 2 children. The statutory schedule sets the basic combined obligation at $1,304/month for that income level and child count. Each parent owes their proportional share: Parent A (60%) = $782.40/month, Parent B (40%) = $521.60/month. Whichever parent does not have primary physical custody pays their share to the custodial parent, before health-insurance premiums and work-related child-care costs are apportioned by the same income percentages and added to the base obligation.
When Courts Deviate From the Guideline
- Actual monetary support being paid for other family members or former family members
- Custody and visitation arrangements, including the cost of visitation-related travel
- Imputed income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or voluntarily underemployed
- Child-care costs a parent incurs because they are attending an educational or vocational program
- Special needs of a child resulting from a physical, emotional, or medical condition
- The standard of living established for the child during the marriage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on income used to calculate child support in Virginia?
No hard cap. The statutory schedule in Va. Code § 20-108.2 runs to $42,500 in combined monthly gross income (raised from $35,000 effective July 1, 2025). Above that, the law adds 2.6% (1 child), 3.4% (2 children), or 3.8% (3 children) of the excess income to the $42,500 obligation amount, so support keeps scaling with income rather than being capped.
What counts as income under Virginia's child support guidelines?
Va. Code § 20-108.2 defines gross income broadly: salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, most Social Security and disability benefits, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, veterans' benefits, spousal support, rental income, and gifts, prizes, or awards. It excludes public assistance, SSI, child support received for other children, and secondary-job income used to pay off arrearages.
How does shared custody affect the child support calculation in Virginia?
When a parent has the child(ren) for more than 90 days per year, the shared-custody formula applies (Worksheet DC-640) instead of the sole-custody worksheet. The 'shared support need' is calculated as the presumptive guideline (sole-custody) amount multiplied by 1.4, and the obligation is then apportioned based on each parent's income share and each parent's percentage of custodial time, which typically reduces the paying parent's obligation compared to sole custody.
Until what age does child support last in Virginia, and does it cover college?
Support generally ends when the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student at 18, not self-supporting, and living with the parent receiving support, the obligation continues until age 19 or graduation, whichever comes first. Virginia guidelines do not require support through college, though parents may agree to it by written agreement, and courts can order continued support for an adult child with a severe, permanent disability under Va. Code § 16.1-278.15.