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Effect of Child Custody Arrangements on Child Support

The amount of child support payable depends on the custody arrangement between parents. In Virginia, there are two main types of custody arrangements: 1) primary custody to one parent with visitation to the other; and 2) shared custody. When an arrangement is considered to be "shared custody," a different mathematical formula is used to determine the guideline amount of child support, which results in a lower payment. An arrangement is considered "shared custody" if both parents have custody of the child for at least ninety days out of the year.

If you are negotiating a custody arrangement with your spouse, it is important to count how many days you will have your child because of its effect on how much child support you will pay or receive. A "day" is considered to be a twenty four period, not just an overnight. In other words, if you have visitation that starts on Wednesday afternoon and goes to Thursday morning, it will not count as a full "day". It will, however, count as a "half day."