Child support on $55,000 a year in Vermont (5 children)
Vermont guidelines effective February 2, 2026. Vermont overview
If Parent A earns $55,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Vermont's guideline amount is $1,428 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Across the table below it ranges from $646 paid by Parent B (Parent B earns $100,000, equal time) to $2,146 (Parent B has no income, Parent A has 104 overnights).
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Change the numbers
Guideline child support
Vermont · 5 children · Parent A $55000 per year · Parent B $40000 per year · children live mostly with Parent B
$1,428 a month
Parent A pays Parent B
- Parent A: 49.5% of combined income
- Parent B: 50.5%
How it adds up
- Combined income
- $7,514 a month
- Basic obligation
- $2,886 a month
- Parent A's share of income
- 49.5%
- Guideline amount
- $1,428 a month
See the worksheet for this example
Vermont uses the income shares model under 15 V.S.A. §§ 653-663. Official calculator: childsupportcalculator.ahs.state.vt.us. Child support agency: Vermont Department for Children and Families, Office of Child Support.
Estimate under Vermont's child support guidelines effective February 2, 2026. Verified against the official Vermont sources on October 7, 2026. Not legal advice. Courts can deviate from the guidelines. How we calculate →
By parenting time and the other parent's income
| Overnights | $0 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $1,882 A→B | $1,581 A→B | $1,471 A→B | $1,428 A→B | $1,410 A→B | $1,393 A→B | $1,310 A→B | $1,236 A→B |
| 52 | $1,882 A→B | $1,581 A→B | $1,471 A→B | $1,428 A→B | $1,410 A→B | $1,393 A→B | $1,310 A→B | $1,236 A→B |
| 104 | $2,146 A→B | $1,437 A→B | $1,285 A→B | $1,202 A→B | $1,129 A→B | $1,026 A→B | $791 A→B | $597 A→B |
| 128 | $2,090 A→B | $1,124 A→B | $957 A→B | $857 A→B | $770 A→B | $648 A→B | $386 A→B | $174 A→B |
| 182 | $1,610 A→B | $519 A→B | $321 A→B | $189 A→B | $74 A→B | $84 B→A | $399 B→A | $646 B→A |
The Vermont worksheet for this example
| Line | Official label | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monthly Gross Income (Parent A)Parent A's monthly income before taxes | $4,583.33 a month |
| 1 | Monthly Gross Income (Parent B)Parent B's monthly income before taxes | $3,333.33 a month |
| 2 | Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (Parent A)Parent A's income after spousal support paid | $4,583.33 a month |
| 2 | Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (Parent B)Parent B's income after spousal support paid | $3,333.33 a month |
| 3 | Monthly After Tax Income (Parent A)Parent A's income after taxes (tax conversion table) | $3,718.00 a month |
| 3 | Monthly After Tax Income (Parent B)Parent B's income after taxes (tax conversion table) | $3,796.00 a month |
| 4 | Monthly Unadjusted Available Income (Parent A)Parent A's income before the other-children adjustment | $3,718.00 a month |
| 4 | Monthly Unadjusted Available Income (Parent B)Parent B's income before the other-children adjustment | $3,796.00 a month |
| 5 | Monthly Available Income (Parent A)Parent A's income used for support | $3,718.00 a month |
| 5 | Monthly Available Income (Parent B)Parent B's income used for support | $3,796.00 a month |
| 5 | Combined Monthly Available IncomeCombined income | $7,514.00 a month |
| 6 | Proportional Share of Income (Parent A)Parent A's share of income | 49.48% |
| 6 | Proportional Share of Income (Parent B)Parent B's share of income | 50.52% |
| 7 | Child Support Guideline Amount (Intact Family Expenditures Table)Table amount for both parents | $2,886.00 a month |
| 8/10 | Combined Family ExpendituresTable amount plus add-ons | $2,886.00 a month |
| 9/11 | Parental Support Obligation (Parent A)Parent A's share of the total | $1,428.02 a month |
| 10/16 | Self-Support ReservePaying parent's self-support reserve | $1,596.00 a month |
| 11/17 | Income Available for Support (line 4 minus the reserve)Paying parent's income above the reserve | $2,122.00 a month |
| 12/18 | Monthly Support PayableGuideline amount | $1,428.02 a month |
With child care and health insurance
| Costs | Guideline amount |
|---|---|
| No add-ons | $1,428 a month A→B |
| Child care $500 a month | $1,621 a month A→B |
| Child care $1,000 a month | $1,868 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $150 a month | $1,433 a month A→B |
| Health insurance $300 a month | $1,438 a month A→B |
Work-related child care, after the child care tax credit, and extraordinary medical costs such as uninsured costs above $200 a year are added to the table amount and shared by income. The children's health insurance premium is subtracted from the income of the parent who pays it.
How Vermont works it out
Vermont uses the income shares model. Each parent's gross income is turned into available income with the state's tax conversion tables, and the Table of Intact Family Expenditures gives the amount for the parents' combined available income; each parent is responsible for their share.
Income from almost any source counts, including spousal support received; means-tested benefits such as SSI and SNAP don't. Spousal support paid is subtracted before taxes. Taxes come from the official tax conversion tables: head of household with the children for the custodial parent, single for the other parent, and the children shared in shared custody. The children's health insurance premium, support paid for other children and FICA of 7.65% on spousal support paid are then subtracted.
A parent who keeps the children overnight more than 75 percent of the year has sole custody. Otherwise the table amount is multiplied by 1.5 and shared by income, and the parent with less time gets credit for their percentage of time. From 25 percent to under 30 percent of the year, 10% down to 2% of that credit is added back. The parent with less time never pays more than without the shared adjustment.
Frequently asked questions
How much child support is paid on $55,000 in Vermont for 5 children?
If Parent A earns $55,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the children live mostly with Parent B (52 overnights a year with Parent A), Vermont's guideline amount is about $1,428 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
How much is that a week?
That is about $330 a week (the monthly amount × 12 ÷ 52).
What if the parents share time equally?
With about equal parenting time and the same incomes, the guideline amount is about $189 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
What if Parent B has no income?
If Parent B has no income and the children live mostly with Parent B, the guideline amount is about $1,882 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
Official sources and verification
- Law: 15 V.S.A. §§ 653-663
- Vermont child support guidelines
- OCS 131A Child Support Worksheet (sole and split custody) and OCS 131C (shared custody)
- Official Vermont child support calculator
- Vermont Department for Children and Families, Office of Child Support
- Changing a Vermont child support order
Guidelines effective February 2, 2026. Verified against the official Vermont sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →