West Virginia child support guidelines
West Virginia uses the Income Shares Support Formula under WV Code § 48-13 — support is based on both parents’ incomes. This page explains the rules and links the official BCSE worksheets; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the West Virginia formula works
The formula works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross incomes;
- Find the basic obligation for that combined income and the number of children;
- Allocate it proportionally by each parent’s income share;
- Adjust for parenting time and add specific child-rearing expenses like health insurance and childcare.
The 127-day line, duration, and modification
West Virginia’s key parenting-time threshold is 127 days. Worksheet A (basic shared parenting) applies at 127 days or fewer for the paying parent; Worksheet B (extended shared parenting, § 48-13-502) applies when both parents exceed 127 days (about 35%). Worksheet B multiplies the basic obligation by 1.6 to reflect two full households, apportions it by income, credits each parent for the other’s time, and the higher obligor pays the offset difference — so crossing 127 days can move the number meaningfully. Support runs to 18 or high-school graduation, whichever is later, a recalculation more than 15% off the current order is a substantial change supporting modification, and a court can use attributed (imputed) income for a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent.
Use the official worksheets
The West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement publishes the official Income Shares worksheets (linked above). Use them for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court has final authority over the amount.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted in circumstances the law allows. For advice on your situation, consult a West Virginia family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in West Virginia is set by West Virginia’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official West Virginia calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in West Virginia for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in West Virginia?
- West Virginia uses the Income Shares Support Formula under WV Code Chapter 48, Article 13. It combines both parents' gross incomes, finds the basic obligation for the number of children, and allocates it by income share — with the amount also depending on parenting time and specific child-rearing expenses.
- What is the difference between Worksheet A and Worksheet B?
- Worksheet A (basic shared parenting) applies when the paying parent has 127 days or fewer of parenting time a year. Worksheet B (extended shared parenting, § 48-13-502) applies when both parents have more than 127 days (about 35%) — it multiplies the basic obligation by 1.6 to reflect two households, apportions it by income, credits each parent for the other’s time, and the higher obligor pays the offset difference.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support generally ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later. A new calculation that is more than 15% higher or lower than the current order is considered a substantial change justifying modification, and a court can use attributed (imputed) income for a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
- Is there an online calculator?
- West Virginia does not publish an official online calculator. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement provides the Income Shares worksheets (A and B) and sends parents a financial form to gather the needed information. The court sets the final amount.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the West Virginia BCSE Income Shares worksheets linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.