West Virginia child support calculator (2026 guidelines)
West Virginia guidelines effective August 8, 2023. Change state
For 2 children, with Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, West Virginia's guideline amount is $903 a month (Parent A pays Parent B).
West Virginia uses the income shares model; its current guidelines took effect August 8, 2023.
This is the guideline amount, not a court order.
Calculate your West Virginia guideline amount
Guideline child support
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West Virginia child support at a glance
| Children | $30,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $368 | $532 | $707 | $887 |
| 2 children | $556 | $796 | $1,047 | $1,318 |
| 3 children | $665 | $944 | $1,230 | $1,554 |
| 4 children | $743 | $1,054 | $1,374 | $1,736 |
| 5 children | $817 | $1,160 | $1,511 | $1,910 |
How West Virginia calculates child support
West Virginia uses the income shares model: the guidelines table gives the support for both parents at their combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share.
Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes, including alimony received and half of regular overtime. Means-tested assistance does not count. Alimony paid and support paid for other children are deducted first.
When each parent has the children overnight at least 128 nights a year, Worksheet B multiplies the table amount by 1.6, each parent owes their share for the time the children spend with the other parent, and the amounts are offset. With fewer nights, Worksheet A applies and there is no parenting-time adjustment.
If the paying parent's adjusted income is below $2,600 a month, support is capped at 80% of that income minus a self-support reserve of $997 (but at least $50). Below $550 of combined income the basic obligation is $50.
Work-related child care (reduced by a quarter for the tax credit, except at low custodial incomes), the children's health insurance premium and recurring uninsured medical costs above $250 a year per child are added to the table amount and shared by income; the paying parent is credited for what they pay.
Court-ordered support a parent pays for other children is deducted from that parent's income. For other children living with a parent, the court may also deduct 75% of the table amount for those children on that parent's own income.
The table runs to $35,000 of combined monthly income. Above that, support is at least the top amount, and the court may add a set percentage of the income above the table; this estimate uses that formula.
The statute sets no rounding rule. Income shares are not rounded and worksheet amounts are rounded to the cent; incomes between table rows are interpolated.
Parenting time in West Virginia
When each parent has the children overnight at least 128 nights a year, Worksheet B multiplies the table amount by 1.6, each parent owes their share for the time the children spend with the other parent, and the amounts are offset. With fewer nights, Worksheet A applies and there is no parenting-time adjustment.
| Overnights with Parent A | Guideline amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $903 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 52 | $903 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 104 | $903 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 128 | $600 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
| 182 (about equal) | $241 a month | Parent A pays Parent B |
Low and high incomes in West Virginia
For 2 children with Parent B earning $40,000, the guideline amount is about $336 a month when Parent A earns $20,000 a year and about $2,505 a month when Parent A earns $250,000.
If the paying parent's adjusted income is below $2,600 a month, support is capped at 80% of that income minus a self-support reserve of $997 (but at least $50). Below $550 of combined income the basic obligation is $50.
The table runs to $35,000 of combined monthly income. Above that, support is at least the top amount, and the court may add a set percentage of the income above the table; this estimate uses that formula.
Child support by number of children in West Virginia
- 1 child$604 a month
- 2 children$903 a month
- 3 children$1,071 a month
- 4 children$1,197 a month
- 5 children$1,316 a month
Parent A earns $60,000, Parent B $40,000; the children live mostly with Parent B.
Official sources and verification
- Law: W. Va. Code §§ 48-13-101 to 48-13-804 and § 48-1-202
- West Virginia child support guidelines
- Worksheet A: Basic Shared Parenting (§ 48-13-403) and Worksheet B: Extended Shared Parenting (§ 48-13-502)
- West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement
- Changing a West Virginia child support order
Guidelines effective August 8, 2023. Verified against the official West Virginia sources on October 7, 2026. How we calculate →
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in West Virginia?
West Virginia uses the income shares model: the guidelines table gives the support for both parents at their combined monthly adjusted gross income, and each parent is responsible for their share. Gross income from almost all sources counts, before taxes, including alimony received and half of regular overtime. Means-tested assistance does not count. Alimony paid and support paid for other children are deducted first.
What is the child support for one child in West Virginia on $50,000?
If Parent A earns $50,000 a year, Parent B earns $40,000 and the child lives mostly with Parent B, West Virginia's guideline amount for one child is about $532 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). Courts can deviate from the guideline amount.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in West Virginia?
Not necessarily. With about equal parenting time, 2 children, Parent A earning $60,000 and Parent B $40,000, the guideline amount is about $241 a month (Parent A pays Parent B). When each parent has the children overnight at least 128 nights a year, Worksheet B multiplies the table amount by 1.6, each parent owes their share for the time the children spend with the other parent, and the amounts are offset. With fewer nights, Worksheet A applies and there is no parenting-time adjustment.
What is the minimum child support in West Virginia?
If the paying parent's adjusted income is below $2,600 a month, support is capped at 80% of that income minus a self-support reserve of $997 (but at least $50). Below $550 of combined income the basic obligation is $50.
When does child support end in West Virginia?
Support normally ends at 18. It continues past 18 while the child is unmarried, lives with a parent, guardian or custodian, and is enrolled full time in a secondary or vocational program and making substantial progress toward a diploma, but not past the child's 20th birthday. The statute keeps existing case law on support for a disabled child beyond 18. The statute does not extend support for college. Unpaid support that is already owed isn't erased when support ends.