West Virginia Child Support Calculator

West Virginia uses the Income Shares model. West Virginia (W. Va. Code § 48-13) uses a shared-parenting worksheet once the obligor has 110 or more overnights a year: each parent's basic obligation is calculated separately, weighted by the percentage of time the child spends with the other parent, then offset against each other so only the parent owing more pays the difference.

West Virginia's guideline runs on gross. That distinction matters: entering gross income into a formula built on net income (or the reverse) produces a materially wrong figure. Most states count income from essentially any regular source -- wages, self-employment, bonuses, commissions, rental and investment income, and many benefits -- not just salary.

Not necessarily. In West Virginia: West Virginia (W. Va. Code § 48-13) uses a shared-parenting worksheet once the obligor has 110 or more overnights a year: each parent's basic obligation is calculated separately, weighted by the percentage of time the child spends with the other parent, then offset against each other so only the parent owing more pays the difference. Because the guideline also weighs each parent's share of income, a significantly higher earner can still owe support at an even time split.

Yes. The figure produced by West Virginia's Income Shares guideline is presumptive, not mandatory: a court can order a different amount when applying the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate for the specific case, and generally must state its reason on the record. Common grounds include extraordinary medical or educational expenses, a child's special needs, or costs the formula does not capture.

You have to file for a modification -- a change in your circumstances does not change what you owe on its own. West Virginia, like most states, requires a substantial change in circumstances: a significant involuntary income change, a change in the parenting schedule, or a material change in the child's needs. Until a court or the state child support agency issues a new order, the existing amount stays fully enforceable and arrears keep accruing, and a modification is generally not applied retroactively before the date you filed -- so filing promptly matters. In West Virginia, modifications are handled through WV Bureau for Child Support Enforcement.

West Virginia publishes it directly: "Income Shares Support Formula — WV Bureau for Child Support Enforcement". This site's calculator is a fast estimate built on the same published guideline, not a replacement for the official form -- a court filing generally requires the state's own worksheet. The link is in the West Virginia Resources section on this page.