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State Guide · Virginia
Child Support in Virginia: How It's Calculated, Modified & Enforced
A plain-English guide to Virginia child support — the guideline model, how the number is computed, the modification and enforcement process, and where to find the official worksheet.
Direct answer
Combined MONTHLY GROSS income from all sources — wages, bonuses, self-employment, Social Security, pensions, rental income, interest, and more. Excluded: public assistance, SSI, and child support received from another case. Court-ordered spousal support paid is deducted.
Virginia uses the Income Shares model based on both parents' combined MONTHLY GROSS income. The basic obligation comes from a statutory schedule (Va. Code § 20-108.2), then health-insurance and work-related child-care costs are added and the total is split by each parent's income share. Custody forms include sole, shared (when a parent has 90+ days/year), and split. There is a presumptive minimum monthly obligation, with relief for obligors at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Open the Virginia child support calculator to see your own number under the current guideline: Virginia calculator.
How a support order is established in Virginia
Open a child support case with the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) through the MyChildSupport portal, or file a petition in Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court.
Establish paternity if the parents were not married — by voluntary acknowledgment or, if disputed, genetic testing.
DCSE or the court computes the guideline amount using the § 20-108.2 worksheet (combined gross income, schedule lookup, add-ons, custody form).
Obtain the order: DCSE can pursue an administrative order, or the court enters a judicial order.
Make payments through the court/DCSE; later request a modification from DCSE or the court upon a material change in circumstances.
Worked examples
Illustrative example — shared-custody gross-income split — Two never-married parents of one child. Parent A (noncustodial) earns $4,200/month gross; Parent B (custodial) earns $1,800/month gross. Combined gross = $6,000. Parent A has the child 120 days/year (over the 90-day shared-custody threshold). Virginia first looks up the guideline basic obligation for $6,000 combined gross and one child on the § 20-108.2 schedule. That basic obligation is split by income share: Parent A 70% ($4,200/$6,000), Parent B 30%. Because Parent A has 120 overnights, the shared-custody formula applies — the shared support need equals the guideline amount multiplied by 1.4, then is allocated by each parent\'s income share, with Parent A paying the difference to Parent B. Even when time is shared, each parent pays in proportion to income; the 1.4 multiplier recognizes the child\'s costs are spread across two households.
Illustrative example — low-income obligor relief — An obligor\'s gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and the standard guideline amount would be very low. Under § 20-108.2(B), a presumptive minimum monthly obligation applies, but if the obligor\'s gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and they show an inability to pay, the court may set an obligation below the minimum — provided doing so does not seriously impair the custodial parent\'s ability to maintain minimal adequate housing and provide other basic necessities. Virginia balances a floor on support with a safety valve for parents at the poverty line.
Modifying or enforcing an order
Orders in Virginia can be modified when there is a substantial change in income, custody, or circumstances. Use the modification eligibility check and the cross-state comparison tool to see how a move would change the outcome. Enforcement runs through the state agency and can include income withholding and contempt proceedings.
Official sources
Virginia Code § 20-108.2 — Guideline for determination of child support — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/20-108.2/
Virginia Department of Social Services — Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) — https://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse/index.html
Virginia MyChildSupport portal — https://mychildsupport.dss.virginia.gov/
What income is used for child support in Virginia?
Combined MONTHLY GROSS income from all sources — wages, bonuses, self-employment, Social Security, pensions, rental income, interest, and more. Excluded: public assistance, SSI, and child support received from another case. Court-ordered spousal support paid is deducted.
How does custody time affect the amount?
Sole custody applies when one parent has the child most of the year. Shared custody applies when a parent has 90+ days/year and uses a formula that multiplies the guideline amount by 1.4 before allocating by income share. Split custody offsets two obligations where each parent has primary custody of a child.
Can the court order a different amount than the guideline?
Yes. The guideline creates a rebuttable presumption. To deviate, the court must make written findings under § 20-108.1 that the guideline result would be unjust or inappropriate, considering the statutory factors.
Is there a minimum child support amount?
Yes, a presumptive minimum monthly obligation applies, with relief for obligors at or below 150% of the federal poverty level who can show inability to pay.
What if a parent is voluntarily unemployed?
The court can impute income based on earning capacity. Incarceration of 180 or more consecutive days is not treated as voluntary unemployment and can support a modification.
How do I establish or change an order?
Open a case with DCSE via the MyChildSupport portal or file in Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court; establish paternity if needed; DCSE or the court calculates the amount; modify later on a material change in circumstances.
Virginia child support calculator
Estimate for Virginia
Virginia uses the Income Shares model.
Enter the paying parent’s gross (pre-tax) monthly income.
Virginia Child Support Worksheet — Planning Estimate
Generated September 22, 2026 · Model: Income Shares · Income basis: gross · Statute: Va. Code § 20-108.2
This is an informal planning estimate, not a court worksheet and not legal advice. Confirm the current guideline with the state child-support agency or a licensed family-law attorney.
Estimated monthly support$977.78per month
Official schedule: Virginia Code § 20-108.2 Schedule of Monthly Basic Child Support Obligations (current; cap raised to $42,500/mo eff 2025-07-01) (2025)
Annual estimate$11,733.36
Effective rate19.6%
MethodIncome Shares: combined income → official Virginia schedule → split by income share (+ add-ons, parenting-time credit)
View calculation breakdown
Combined parental income
$9,000
Total basic obligation (schedule)
$1,760
Obligor income share
55.6%
Obligor basic obligation
$978
Estimated monthly support
$978
How the basic obligation splits between parents
56%
44%
Paying parent: $978 Other parent: $782
Each parent pays their proportional share of the combined basic obligation.
Estimated monthly support by number of children
At the incomes you entered, for 2 children.
This article is general education, not legal or tax advice. For your exact number, open your state calculator.
Not legal or financial advice. This estimate follows the state’s statutory guideline formula but cannot capture every factor a court considers (health insurance, childcare, prior orders, deviations, imputed income).
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