Virginia Child Support
Estimate for Virginia
Virginia uses the Income Shares model.
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)
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
Estimated monthly support by number of children
§ How Virginia calculates support
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.
Content verified against official sources on 2026-08-09.
✦ How to open or modify a case 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.
◈ Illustrative examples
Scenario: 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).
Walk-through: 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.
Takeaway: 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.
Scenario: An obligor's gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and the standard guideline amount would be very low.
Walk-through: 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.
Takeaway: Virginia balances a floor on support with a safety valve for parents at the poverty line.
? Frequently asked questions
↗ Official policy & agency links
Sources verified: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/20-108.2/ · https://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse/index.html · https://mychildsupport.dss.virginia.gov/