The Importance of a Family Law Lawyer

When you are looking for a family law lawyer, you can count on May Law, LLP for optimal results. As an experienced law firm, we understand the intricate laws that make up the legal spectrum of family law. May Law, LLP is comprised of respectable lawyers who know what it takes to get the results you are looking for. If you would like to discuss the personal details of your case with a family law lawyer, please call us today for an initial, one-hour consultation.

A family law lawyer is a legal advisor who assists on family related issues including divorce, spousal support, child custody, separation, or guardianship. We ensure the right paperwork is filed accordingly, and we are prepared to act as a voice on your behalf. When you choose a family law lawyer who cares, you can be assured in knowing:

May Law, LLP Understands the Finite Details of Family Law

The lawyers at May Law, LLP have years of training and hands-on experience in legal matters that make up family law. We take pride in our ability to navigate complex issues with dedication and confidence. Our services cover a broad range of legal issues including:

Divorce/ Separation
Fathers’ rights
Grandparents’ rights
Gay & LGBT family law
Child custody
Child support
Adoption
Guardianship
Property division
Relocation
Mediation
Paternity
Prenuptial agreements

You Can Expect Unbiased Legal Support

Family matters stir up emotions and can lead to heightened stress or anxiety levels. When you face divorce or other tough family issues, you may not think clearly, which leads you to make decisions that were not fully thought through. A good family law lawyer can ease some of the stress by evaluating your case in its entirety. Using this approach, you can feel confident in knowing it will be presented to the courts in a professional, thoughtful, and favorable manner.

Your Lawyers Will Be Experienced

It is not uncommon for family law cases to intersect with other legal realms, including federal and appellate law, business litigation, or estate law. In order for your case to be prepared as best as possible, it may be a smart choice to choose a family law lawyer who also has access to a network of lawyers and professionals who understand these matters.

May Law, LLP Gets Results

May Law, LLP is determined to get the results our clients are looking for. We are prepared to go the distance for every case. Depending on your own personal circumstances, we may choose to partner with investigators, counselors, or other professionals to establish a case that includes all the necessary details.
Our lawyers are passionate about protecting your rights and liberties. Regardless of how complex your legal matter might be, we are ready to listen and suggest the most practical options suited to your case. To schedule a consultation with a family law lawyer, please call (703) 312-0410.

Divorce in Virginia: An Overview of Current Law

How did divorce law come about in Virginia?

American law evolved through two major paths: common law (laws that transferred to us directly from England in the 1600’s,) and statutory law (laws that have been passed by the Virginia General Assembly, signed by a Governor and appear in the Code of Virginia)..

The Virginia Code contains applicable law regarding divorce and custody in the Commonwealth, and is even searchable in an online database at https://leg1.state.va.us/000/src.htm.

As you may already know, divorce law is far more complicated than what is codified by our legislature. In addition, the Courts have a role to play in family law. When the Code of Virginia does not exactly dictate how a situation is to be resolved, the Courts may interpret the law on a case-by-case basis. A skilled family law attorney searches the opinions of the Courts to “fill in the gaps,” and will be able to predict how the court will respond to your particular family law matter. As Virginia law changes, so, too, should the approach of your family lawyer.

What are different kinds of divorce in Virginia?

There are actually two types of divorce in Virginia. The first is called “bed and board” divorce. The grounds for this type of divorce are either cruelty or desertion [1]. The effect of a bed and board divorce is that the two people will be declared separated and their personal rights and property protected. Though the people are decreed to be legally separated, under bed and board divorce neither person can marry again while the other is alive [2]. As you can imagine, this is rarely a workable permanent arrangement!

The more common type of divorce is called “final divorce,” which allows an individual to remarry someone else if he or she so desires.

Do you need a legal reason to get a Divorce in Virginia?

Generally speaking, you do need a legal reason for a divorce. Virginia does not allow a divorce based on “irreconcilable differences,” which is allowed in some other states.

What kinds of legal reasons does Virginia accept for divorce?

Virginia recognizes divorce for “Cause,” as well as “Uncontested” divorces. You may immediately think of divorce for “Cause” because it is often part of a dramatic plot line on reality television; however, “Uncontested” (also known as “no fault”)divorce is far more common . The grounds for “Cause” may include adultery, conviction of a felony, cruelty and desertion. If a spouse has an extramarital affair, for example, then the other spouse may have grounds for divorce based upon the “cause” of adultery.

If you need a legal reason to divorce in Virginia, then what is “Uncontested” divorce?

An “Uncontested” divorce can be granted if the husband and wife have lived “separate and apart” for one year, or for six months if there are no minor children. In addition, the couple often negotiates and signs a written “Separation Agreement” that sets forth how the the Husband and Wife want to separate their property, and whether or not they agree to spousal support. If they have kids, the separation agreement will additionally set forth their agreement on custody and child support.[3] Even though this is known as the “no fault” divorce, you still must be separated for six months or one full year, depending on the circumstances. That is the legal reason for the divorce.

If my spouse and I separate, what happens in the six months or more as we wait for the divorce to be finalized?

During the process of a divorce, the court can make orders pendente lite, or pending the divorce proceedings and up to the final order of divorce. If there are disputes about where the parties will live, who is responsible for bill payment, what property goes to whom, how custody is divided, how much or whether there should be spousal and child support – these issues are heard at a pendente lite hearing, which is usually the first step in the divorce process.

If my spouse and I agree on things like child support and dividing our assets, do we need to have a pendente lite hearing?

No. In fact, if you can agree with your spouse, then there is no reason for a hearing. You may even save time and money by coming to agreement on terms of the separation in advance of court involvement, because every hearing will cost you attorney’s fees.

What if we can agree on all the financial stuff, but we can’t agree regarding the children?

In contested divorces, a pendente lite hearing becomes very important as it relates to custody. The pendente lite hearing will be the first court decision regarding custody and support of children [4].

If the pendente lite hearing is not final, why should it impact the final hearing? Isn’t that unfair?

In matters of custody in Virginia, the “best interest of the child” standard is used. If the children have been doing well where they have been “pending” the divorce, it is a valid argument to maintain the same custody arrangement as ordered at the pendente lite hearing. This may not seem “fair” in some instances, but the court’s primary concern is the “best interest” of the children.

Custody Q & A

What are the rules on custody of my children?

There is really only one rule to remember here: Whatever is in the best interests of the child is what the Court must do. Often, this may create a result grossly unfair to one parent. However, fairness is not what the Court looks at. The Court only looks at what is in the best interest of the child.

As stated above, the court first decides child custody at the pendente lite hearing based on the rules set forth in the Virginia Code Section §20-103. The final ruling on custody is then made at the final divorce hearing. The court also has the ability to change the custody decision at a later date if there is evidence of a material change in circumstances and which affects the best interest of the child.

What types of custody are there?

There are several types of custody, but the two you will hear most are Legal and Physical. Legal custody determines who can legally decide matters for the child. Physical custody sets forth with whom the child stays at any given time.

Are there different types of legal and physical custody?

Yes. Legal and Physical custody can be either “Joint” or “Sole.” Joint custody means that the parents share legal or physical custody[5]. Sole custody means that only one person has legal and/or physical custody[6].

If my spouse gets sole custody, does that mean I will never see my children?

Not necessarily. In fact, sole custody is almost always accompanied by a rule by visitation. (When one parent has custody of the child, the time the other parent spends with the child is called visitation.)

Is it possible to have a visitation schedule that lets me see my children very frequently, even if I don’t have actual custody?

Yes. Custody arrangements can have all sorts of forms. For example, there seems to be little practical difference between Joint Custody, and Sole Custody that is accompanied by extensive visitation. It really depends on how well you and your former spouse are able to work together.

What if I don’t want to work with my former spouse because I do not like him or her or want to keep him or her away from the kids?

In our experience, custody hearings can be the most acrimonious, and thus, the most expensive. As we stated before, if the couple can agree on the rules of custody, the Court will usually adopt them. So if you can agree, you can save yourselves tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, not to mention the emotional well-being of your children – and yourself, for that matter. It makes sense to reach an agreement with your spouse on as many issues related to a divorce as possible, but especially on custody.

What if I try to work with my former spouse, but he or she is just plain unreasonable?

It happens. Sometimes, one spouse is just not cooperative. It takes two to make an agreement. There may be valid occasions for a contested custody case. Unfortunately, these can be draining both financially and emotionally. Ultimately, it may become necessary, but custody litigation should be your last resort.

If I decide to litigate, what standards will the Court use to decide custody?

We hate to sound like a broken record, but it’s “The best interest of the child.” That is the only rule you need to know!

What gives the Court the right to determine my child’s best interests?

The Virginia Code gives Courts the right to make this determination. And this is another reason why you should try to resolve these matters in consultation with your former spouse. If the parents of the child can’t decide these matters, the Court will.

What does the “best interest of the child” really mean?

Best interest of the child means that the court will focus on what is best for the child. Incorporated into this is the premise that kids do best, when appropriate, to have contact with both parents. (We say “when appropriate” because there are sad cases of abuse and neglect that require the court to suspend or even terminate contact of one parent with their own child.)

The factors that the court uses to determine custody are the age, physical and mental conditions of the child and of each parent. The court also takes into account the current relationship between the child and each parent and the role that the parent currently plays and will play in the future in the child’s life. The impact on other relationships the child has with siblings, friends and extended family members and each parents’ willingness to support the other parent’s continued interaction with the child are considered. The willingness and demonstrated ability of each parent to maintain a relationship with the child is considered, as is the parent’s willingness and ability to handle any problems that may come up.

If the court determines that the child is old enough and understands what is going on, the preference of the child is considered. Finally the court tries to determine if there is any family history of abuse which is defined by Virginia Code Section §16.1-228. In addition to these factors, the court has the right to use any other factors that are deemed relevant[7]. The judge will let the parents know the basis of the decision either orally or in writing[8].

Does the Court give favor to a Mother or a Father? I heard that certain judges are biased to one or the other?
A judge is never allowed to favor one side or the other. Why? Because the test is “What is in the best interest of the child.” Thus, the court will not make presumptions in favor of one of the parents[9].

Property Q & A

How do we separate our property when we get divorced?

You may have heard about some states that have a 50/50 rule that simply just splits the property in half. Virginia uses a different rule called “Equitable Distribution.” To determine a fair division of marital property and debts, Virginia law requires the following: that property and debts be classified as marital, separate, or part marital and part separate; that marital property and debts be valued; and that such marital property or debts be equitably divided based on the statutory factors in Virginia Code Section 20-107.

Does the Court ever divide property at the pendente lite hearing?

No, but at the pendente lite hearing, often the Court will rule that the spouses have to preserve the property pending the final divorce (e.g. you can’t go cash out your 401K and spend it). The final ruling about property separation is made at the final hearing.

If I have a good lawyer, can I “take my spouse for every penny” and make sure he or she suffers financially?

No, and it is not a good idea to think this way. The assets are ultimately going to be divided according to the requirements of the Virginia Code for equitable distribution. Again, if you can agree on who gets what property, you will save yourself thousands in attorneys’ fees. When we have represented people in divorce, we always explain that every dollar you are spending on attorneys is one less dollar there is to separate between you and your spouse. For example, if you have $100,000 in assets and think that you should get $60,000 and your spouse should get $40,000, then why would you want to spend $20,000 in attorney’s fees for the chance of getting a judge to agree with you? If you won, you would get $60,000 but you would have spent $20,000 to get it – thus putting only $40,000 in your pocket. So why not just “plug your nose” and agree to get $50,000? That way, you are guaranteed to get $10,000 more than you would if you went to trial on the property separation issue. As dedicated lawyers, we like when you hire us to litigate cases, but you really should “run the numbers” before you choose litigation.

What if we agree on how our property is to be separated?

Then you are among the lucky minority. If you are both reasonable, then you have found the secret to an uncontested and inexpensive divorce. If you and your spouse agree to how the property is to be separated, then in 99% of the cases, the Judge will do just as you agreed.

What if we disagree on how our property is to be separated?

If you disagree, then at the property separation hearing, you present your side, your spouse presents his/her side, and the Judge divides the property between you at the final divorce. While “equitable distribution” is supposed to be based on “what is fair”, over the years, it has become a quite mechanical process. The Court gives each spouse his or her own separate property (e.g. property they brought into the marriage) and then splits the marital property (e.g. the property they acquired during the marriage) based upon what is “equitable.” This is a very basic description for a very complicated process.

How do we decide what our property is worth?

Often there is a question on what property is worth. For example, one spouse who is not going to live in the home and wants ½ of the equity may say the house is worth $600,000 while the spouse who intends upon staying may say the house is only worth $500,000. In these cases, the attorneys undergo a process of valuation and classification of the property[10]. The property is valued as of the date of the hearing or, if one spouse wants a different date, they can ask that the date of value be based on a date at least 21 days earlier. You determine what it is worth in the same way you would in a business deal. To value a house, you would have to hire an expert real estate appraiser. For a 401K, you would use the stock values. For a car, you may use Kelly Blue book.

What is separate property?

This is all property that belongs to one person, not both. Property that only one person owns includes property from before the marriage and property given specifically to one person as a gift or in a will. It also includes property that one person bought during the marriage using other separate property and which they kept as separate property. Income from that separate property received either directly as income or as an increase in value is also counted as separate property if the other spouse who doesn’t own the property didn’t influence the change in value.

What is marital property?

This is all property, which is titled to both parties or is part of a property that is titled to both. Property which was acquired during the marriage and doesn’t qualify as separate property is marital property. Good examples of marital property are houses purchased during the marriage, pensions, profit-sharing or deferred compensation or retirement plans earned during the marriage. Marital property is assumed to be jointly owned unless there is proof (like a prenuptial agreement) that it is not.

What is hybrid property?

This is often property that depending on evidence can be either marital or separate property. If the increase in value of separate property is directly related the other spouse or the addition of marital property, the increase in value is marital property. However, the person who does not own the property has to prove that the increase in value was directly related to their contribution or the marital property. If this cannot be proven, the increase in value is still separate property. If the separate property was combined with marital property and can be easily identified, the separate property retains the separate identification. However if the property cannot be easily identified, the whole property becomes marital property. If separate property was retitled under both names, then it becomes marital property unless there is evidence the original property can isolated, in which case it is separate property. Also if one person’s separate property was combined with the other person’s separate property and it cannot be divided, then it is hybrid property and each person can be reimbursed the value of the original contribution. This understanding of hybrid property applies to pensions, profit-sharing, deferred compensation plans or retirement benefits.

What if we disagree over whether the property is separate, marital or hybrid?

Once the property has been valued and classified, if either party disagrees with the classification on any of the properties they are responsible for proving the property should have another classification.

More information on property types is in the Virginia Code.[11]

How does the Court separate the Marital and Hybrid property?

After the valuation and classification, the court considers the distribution. Here is where the “equitable” part of equitable distribution comes into play. There are several factors the court considers including the contributions of both people to caring for the family and the property[12]. The court also looks at length of the marriage and factors that contributed to the divorce. The court looks at both parties including their age, physical and mental condition, debts and liabilities and the reasons for these. It also looks at the tax consequences to each person. In addition, it will look at how and when the marital property was acquired and how liquid that property is. If either spouse used or sold marital property by themselves in preparation for the divorce or separation, the court may take that into consideration as well as any other factors that the court feels are necessary to consider.

Once these decisions are reached, distribution is made by the sale or division of jointly owned property and in the form of monetary awards.

Spousal Support Q & A

I have heard that sometimes a spouse has to pay the other one after a divorce on a monthly basis to meet that spouse needs. Is this common in Virginia?

Yes. In addition to distributing property, the court has the authority to award spousal support if it determines that support of one spouse by the other after separation and even after the divorce is necessary[13].

When does the Court decide spousal support?

This decision is made at the pendente lite hearing based on Virginia Code Section §20-103 or at the final divorce hearing. However, if there is a contract that both people sign which is filed before the final decree, the court will follow what is in the contract relating to spousal support (this is called a prenuptial agreement).

Does the Court always award some kind of support?

Not always. Because spousal support is only awarded if the court feels that it is necessary, the court must first decide whether to grant support in the first place.

How does the Court decide whether it should make an award?

The court looks first at fault and the circumstances and factors leading to the divorce. This specifically includes adultery, cruelty or if one spouse is convicted of a felony and the couple has not lived together after the release[14]. If both spouses have grounds for divorce because of adultery, then neither can receive permanent support, unless the court allows an exception. Exceptions are based on the degree of fault of each person and the economic circumstances of each.

If the Court does award support, how much does it award?

If the court awards spousal support, it must then decide the nature, amount and duration. There are several factors which impact the decision[15]. The court will look at the marriage, including how long it lasted, the standard of living established during the marriage and the contributions that each made to the marriage. Financial obligations including taxes, resources, and property of each party are considered. Age, mental and physical condition of the spouses, special circumstances in the family, earning capacity of each spouse, and the cost of a spouse to improve their earning capacity is considered. The Court reviews choices each party made about their jobs, education or parenting during the marriage. Based on these criteria, the court issues written findings about the factors and awards the support in one of four ways: (1) as a lump sum, (2) for a defined duration, (3) for an undefined duration, (4) or in a combination of these. This is completed at the final divorce hearing.

Is the Court’s award the final ruling regarding the subject?

No. Spousal support (and child support) can be changed if there is a material change in circumstances, which allows the court to review and change the award. For example, if a spouse if the paying spouse loses their job, the court may want to re-evaluate the matter. (However, don’t assume that losing your job won’t prompt a judge to say you need to go out and find a similar-paying job.)

If I am getting spousal support, can I remarry?

Yes, but this will automatically terminate your spousal support without a hearing. Remarriage automatically terminates the spousal support and it is the responsibility of the spouse receiving the support to notify the former spouse who is paying the support.

If I want to keep getting my support payments, can’t I just move in with someone and skip the actual remarriage?

You can try, but you will be inviting your ex-spouse to petition the court. Others have tried this approach in the past, and the law allows the paying spouse to request termination of the support in such circumstances. If the paying spouse has evidence that the other spouse is in a relationship that is the same as a marriage, mainly that the spouse has been living with someone else for one year or more, the paying spouse can petition the court to end the order of support. If the paying spouse can prove that the other should no longer receive support, it is up to the receiving spouse to prove that it would be unconscionable to end support.

Are there any other occurrences that end spousal support?

If an expected event which was influential in ordering the support does not occur, either the payer or receiver can petition the award to be changed, but the person petitioning cannot be responsible for the event not happening. Also, the death of either spouse ends the spousal support.

Child Support Q & A

How is child support determined?

In addition to awarding spousal support the court can award child support. Child support is awarded at the pendente lite hearing and again at the final divorce hearing. The award can be changed later if there is proof of a material change in circumstances. In awarding the child support, the court will first calculate the basic child support which is based on the guidelines in Virginia Code Section Virginia Code Section §20-108.1 and §20-108.2. You can look up this chart in the code yourself and calculate the basic child support requirements. The numbers included in this chart are assumed to be accurate, unless there is proof that it is not appropriate under the specific circumstances.

Does my custody arrangement impact my child support obligation?

Yes. After the basic child support is determined, the amount of child support is calculated to include other costs with a formula based on the type of custody. When the court awards the support, the Court presents its findings including if the guideline calculations and any additions or subtractions to it that were considered.

What kinds of factors will the Court consider in making additions or subtractions to my child support obligation?

There are several reasons that the court may change the basic amount of support from the guidelines including the amount of support the parents provide for other family members, special needs or obligations, resources of each parent, and the parent’s tax consequences. The court will also consider the cost to the parent to visit the child if that parent only has visitation rights and debts that have arisen against a parent because of the child. In addition, the court considers the standards of living the child had during the marriage and considers education costs and costs if the child has special needs and if the child has their own money. If there is a large increase in money, for example from the sale of the home lived in during the marriage, or the property provides an income, the court takes the effect into consideration. In addition to these factors, the court can use any factors that it feels is necessary to make the decision.

Is there a main factor the Court will consider?

When you look at the child support guidelines, you will immediately see that the main factor in determining child support is gross income.

What is “gross income”?

Gross income is all income from all sources[16]. Sources include salaries, commissions, royalties, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, some social security benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment insurance benefits, disability insurance benefits, veterans’ benefits, spousal support, rental income, gifts, prizes, awards or any other source of income.

Does gross income include everything?

No. Although it includes most forms of income, it does not include benefits from public assistance and social services programs listed in Virginia Code Section §63.2-100, federal supplemental security income benefits, child support received or income which is used only to pay late child support and is known as “secondary employment income”. Secondary employment income includes income from an additional job, self-employment or overtime employment and when the additional income stops, there is no material change in circumstances.

Why doesn’t the Court look at “secondary employment income?”

This is done because people would go get a second job in order to obtain money for child support and the second job would then increase their guidelines payments. So this discouraged people from getting second jobs and thus discouraged people from paying their support. To eliminate this “Catch 22” the legislature exempted the second job when it is used only to pay support.

Are there any deductions in calculating gross income?

Certain disability insurance benefits are calculated differently. For example, the insurance increase that a parent pays because of the child is calculated in gross income, but the amount can be credited to that parent’s child support payment.

In addition, there are other expenses which can be deducted from gross income. These include reasonable business expenses from incomes from self-employment, a partnership, or a closely held business and one half of any self-employment tax. Some support payments can also be deducted, depending upon the circumstances.

Are there any other costs that influence the amount of child support owed?

Yes. For example, the cost of health care coverage and the cost of employment-related childcare are added to the amount of child support owed. The health care coverage cost is the additional cost directly related to covering the child. The cost of employment-related childcare is the cost of providing quality care while the custodial parent is at work. At the request of the non-custodial parent, the court can require documentation showing the cost of the childcare and increase or decrease the child support amount. By the request of either parent, the court can take the impact the childcare costs have on the parent’s taxes into account and change the child support accordingly.

What if there are “out of pocket” medical costs—are these part of child support?

In addition to the health care coverage, each parent is expected to pay a portion of all medical and dental expenses not reimbursed over $250 per year. The amount each parent pays is proportional to their gross income, but does not impact the amount of child support they are expected to pay. This is in addition to the monthly child support amount and the courts will automatically apply this after the amount of child support is calculated no matter the type of custody. If there is good cause or an agreement between the parents, the court will follow what was decided.

Once the total amount of child support is determined who pays what to whom?

Once the court has determined the basic child support amount, either from the guidelines or through separate calculations, and the amounts of the other costs, the court will award support based on the type of custody. No matter the type of custody, the total obligation is the monthly basic child support obligation plus the costs for health care coverage and the work-related child-care costs. If the child is a recipient of Medicaid or the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan the cash medical support is also added to the obligation. The total includes the basic obligation and costs for both parents.

To calculate the monthly obligation of each parent, each parent’s contribution to the total monthly combined gross income, also known as the income share, is multiplied by the total monthly child support obligation. This means that if each parent contributes 50% of the income share, then each parent will pay 50% of the total monthly child support obligation. Similarly, if one parent contributes 40% and the other 60% of the income share, then the parents would pay 40% and 60% respectively of the total monthly child support obligation.

You said child support is impacted by custody arrangements—so what are the different types of custody arrangements?

As stated earlier, the Virginia Code defines only defines two types of custody; sole custody and joint custody. “Sole Custody” is pretty self-explanatory—it means that on person retains sole responsibility for the care and control of a child and has primary decision-making authority for that child. “Joint Custody,” on the other hand, encompasses multiple arrangements, including “Shared Custody,” “Split Custody,” and “Divided Custody.” Each of these terms is a type of “Joint Custody” where both parents retain some responsibility and decision-making authority in one form or another.

Finally, the court may award limited or extensive visitation rights to a non-custodial parent.

What is the child support impact if I have a sole custody arrangement?

For sole custody arrangements, the non-custodial parent pays the custodial parent his/her share. However, the amount the noncustodial parent is responsible for may be reduced by the cost of the health care coverage when it is paid by the noncustodial parent.

What is the child support impact if I have a split custody arrangement?

Split custody only occurs in families that have two or more children. For split custody, each parent has custody of at least one of the children from the marriage. To calculate the amount of child support owed, the amount of child support is calculated for each child with the formula above. Each parent is responsible for their share of the child support for all the children. Once both parents’ responsibilities are calculated for all the children, the amount owed is the difference between the amounts the two parents are responsible for. The difference is what the parent owing the larger amount pays to the parent owing the smaller amount.

What is the child support impact if I have a shared or divided custody arrangement?

Shared custody means that the parents willingly share child care responsibilities and decisions at all times, regardless of which parent may have physical custody at any one given time. Divided custody means a child lives alternatively with one parent and then the other for specific durations of time and during those durations, the parent with whom the child is residing retains responsibility and decision-making authority for the child.

Usually these arrangements entail one parent having physical custody for more than 90 days in a year. If that is the case, that parent’s custody share can be calculated by using the formula described above, then taking a proportion of that amount equivalent to the number of days the parent has the child, divided by the number of days in the year (365).

What is the child support impact if I have an extensive visitation arrangement?

In the event that the court awards more than ninety (90) days per year of visitation to a non-custodial parent, the non-custodial parent’s child support obligation is calculated using the formula above and then taking a proportion of that amount equivalent to the number of days the parent has the child divided by the number of days in the year (365).

What is the child support impact if I have a limited visitation arrangement?

In the event the court awards less than ninety (90) days per year of visitation to a non-custodial parent, the non-custodial parent’s child support obligation is calculated using the formula above; however, he or she cannot then offset the days during which he or she has the child for visitation (as he or she can if the visitation arrangement is greater than ninety (90) days per year).

Why ninety (90) Days—if my visitation is less than ninety (90) days, aren’t I paying twice? That doesn’t seem fair.

We are often asked by the non-custodial parent who pays child support to the custodial parent, ‘Why don’t I get credit for the money I spend taking care of junior when he/she is with me?’ This topic has been debated by the legislature for years. To address this, the General Assembly created the “90 day rule.” This rule gives credit to a non-custodial parent for expenses where the non-custodial parent has the child for more than 90 days. There is no real scientific reason why 90 days was picked. Like a lot of things in law, it is a number that came up as a compromise between the proponents and opponents of the legislation. Custodial parents say that the child support guidelines are set slightly lower than true child care costs with the fact in mind that non-custodial parents will be expending sums on the days they have visitation. Non-custodial parent advocates say that the guidelines are too high and don’t give them enough credit. So, while it is an arbitrary number, 90 days is the number upon which the majority agreed.

Are there any other considerations the Court will make when determining child support?

It is important to remember that the court can and will consider other issues when making these calculations. For example, the court will want to ensure that the amount of child support will allow the custodial parent to maintain minimum standards. The court will want to ensure that the custodial parent can provide minimal adequate housing and other basic needs to protect the best interests of the child.