Custody and Support
Child custody arrangements, child support calculations, parenting plans, and visitation schedules.
120 articles in this topic
Alabama Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Alabama including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Alaska Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Alaska including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Arizona Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Arizona including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Arkansas Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Arkansas including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
California Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in California including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Colorado Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Colorado including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Connecticut Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Connecticut including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Delaware Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Delaware including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Florida Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Florida including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Georgia Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Georgia including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Hawaii Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Hawaii including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Idaho Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Idaho including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Illinois Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Illinois including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Indiana Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Indiana including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Iowa Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Iowa including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Kansas Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Kansas including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Kentucky Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Kentucky including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Louisiana Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Louisiana including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Maine Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Maine including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Maryland Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Maryland including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Massachusetts including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Michigan Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Michigan including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Minnesota Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Minnesota including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Mississippi Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Mississippi including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Missouri Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Missouri including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Montana Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Montana including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Nebraska Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Nebraska including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Nevada Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Nevada including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
New Hampshire Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in New Hampshire including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
New Jersey Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in New Jersey including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
New Mexico Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in New Mexico including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
New York Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in New York including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
North Carolina Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in North Carolina including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
North Dakota Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in North Dakota including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Ohio Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Ohio including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Oklahoma Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Oklahoma including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Oregon Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Oregon including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Pennsylvania including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Rhode Island including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
South Carolina Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in South Carolina including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
South Dakota Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in South Dakota including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Tennessee Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Tennessee including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Texas Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Texas including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Utah Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Utah including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Vermont Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Vermont including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Virginia Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Virginia including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Washington Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Washington including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
West Virginia Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in West Virginia including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Wisconsin Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Wisconsin including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Wyoming Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
How child support is calculated in Wyoming including income shares model, deviations, and payment.
Joint Custody Pros and Cons: Is It Right for Your Family
The advantages and disadvantages of joint custody and how to make it work.
Sole Custody: When It Is Appropriate and How to Get It
Circumstances that warrant sole custody and the process for requesting it.
Physical vs Legal Custody: Understanding the Difference
The difference between physical and legal custody and how courts assign each.
Custody Agreement Template: Essential Provisions
Key provisions every custody agreement should include and how to customize for your situation.
Parenting Time Calculator: How Percentage Is Determined
How to calculate parenting time percentages and why they matter for child support.
50/50 Custody Schedule: Common Arrangements That Work
Popular equal time custody schedules including 2-2-3, alternating weeks, and 3-4-4-3.
60/40 Custody Schedule: Options and Examples
Custody schedules that divide time approximately 60/40 and when they make sense.
70/30 Custody Schedule: Every Other Weekend Plus
Custody arrangements where one parent has about 70 percent of overnights.
80/20 Custody Schedule: Standard Visitation Arrangements
How 80/20 custody schedules work and common arrangements that fit this split.
Custody Arrangements for Infants and Toddlers
Age-appropriate custody schedules for babies and toddlers based on developmental needs.
Custody Schedules for School-Age Children
How to design custody arrangements that work with school schedules and activities.
Custody Arrangements for Teenagers: Flexibility and Input
How to adjust custody arrangements as children become teenagers and want more input.
Child Support Calculation Methods: Income Shares vs Percentage
The two main models states use to calculate child support and how each works.
Determining Income for Child Support: What Counts
What income sources are included in child support calculations beyond basic salary.
Child Support Deviations: When Courts Adjust the Formula
Circumstances where courts deviate from standard child support guidelines.
Child Support for High-Income Parents: Above the Guidelines
How child support is calculated when a parent's income exceeds the guideline tables.
Child Support for Self-Employed Parents: Income Verification
How courts determine income for self-employed parents in child support cases.
Child Support Modification Checklist: What You Need
Documents and evidence needed to request a child support modification.
When Does Child Support End: Age and Circumstances
When child support obligations terminate and exceptions that extend payments.
Child Support and College: Are Parents Required to Pay
Whether child support extends to college expenses and which states require it.
Custody and Relocation: State Rules for Moving With Children
State-by-state rules for relocating with children after a custody order is in place.
Interstate Custody Disputes: UCCJEA and Jurisdiction
How the UCCJEA handles custody disputes when parents live in different states.
International Custody: Hague Convention and Cross-Border Issues
How international custody disputes are resolved under the Hague Convention.
Custody and Domestic Violence: How Abuse Affects Decisions
How courts handle custody when there is a history of domestic violence.
Custody and Substance Abuse: What Courts Consider
How a parent's substance abuse affects custody decisions and what evidence matters.
Custody and Mental Health: Addressing Concerns in Court
How mental health issues affect custody decisions and what parents should know.
Parenting Plan for Toddlers: Sample Schedules
Age-appropriate parenting plans for children ages 1 to 3 with sample schedules.
Parenting Plan for Preschoolers: Ages 3 to 5
Parenting plan considerations and sample schedules for preschool-age children.
Holiday Parenting Plan: Dividing Special Days Fairly
How to allocate holidays, birthdays, and school breaks in your parenting plan.
Long-Distance Parenting Plan: Maintaining Connection
Creating effective parenting plans when parents live far apart.
Co-Parenting After High-Conflict Divorce
Strategies for effective co-parenting when the divorce was contentious.
Parallel Parenting Guide: Minimizing Contact While Co-Parenting
How to parallel parent effectively when direct communication is too difficult.
Co-Parenting With a Narcissist: Survival Strategies
Practical strategies for co-parenting with a narcissistic ex-spouse.
Grandparent Visitation Rights by State
State laws on grandparent visitation rights and how to petition for access.
Grandparent Custody: When Grandparents Can Seek Custody
Circumstances under which grandparents can petition for custody of grandchildren.
Step-Parent Adoption After Divorce: Process and Requirements
How step-parent adoption works after divorce and the legal requirements.
Third-Party Custody: When Non-Parents Seek Custody
How non-parents like relatives can seek custody of children in certain circumstances.
Custody Mediation Tips: Preparing for a Successful Session
How to prepare for custody mediation and strategies for reaching agreement.
Preparing for Custody Court: Evidence and Presentation
How to prepare for a custody hearing including evidence, witnesses, and presentation.
Best Interests of the Child Standard: What Courts Evaluate
The factors courts consider when determining the best interests of the child.
Custody Schedules Around Work: Flexible Arrangements
How to design custody schedules that accommodate both parents' work schedules.
Overnight Visits for Young Children: Age-Appropriate Guidelines
Guidelines for when children are ready for overnight visits with the noncustodial parent.
Virtual Visitation: Video Calls and Digital Communication Rights
How virtual visitation works as a supplement to in-person parenting time.
Child Support and Taxes: Deductibility and Claiming Children
Tax rules for child support payments and which parent claims the child as a dependent.
Child Support Wage Garnishment: How Income Withholding Works
How automatic income withholding works for child support payments.
Child Support and Disability: Obligations When a Parent Is Disabled
How disability affects child support obligations for both the paying and receiving parent.
Enforcing Child Support Across State Lines: UIFSA Guide
How the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act helps enforce child support across states.
Child Support With Joint Custody: Does Anyone Pay
Whether child support is still required when parents share custody equally.
Emergency Custody Orders: When and How to Get One
When you can get an emergency custody order and the process for obtaining one.
Temporary Custody Orders: What to Expect While Divorce Is Pending
How temporary custody works during the divorce process and what influences the decision.
Parallel Parenting Plan: Co-Parenting When Communication Is Difficult
How parallel parenting works, when it is better than co-parenting, and how to create a workable plan.
How to Modify Child Support: When and How to Request Changes
When you can request a child support modification, what qualifies as a substantial change, and how to file.
Supervised Visitation: Types of Supervision and How to Transition Out
Understanding supervised visitation, when courts order it, types of supervision, and how to transition out.
Relocating with Children After Divorce: Legal Requirements
Legal rules for moving with your kids after divorce, notice requirements, and how courts decide.
Custody Agreements for Infants and Toddlers: Age-Appropriate Schedules
How to create custody schedules that work for babies and toddlers, developmental considerations, and common arrangements.
Imputed Income in Child Support: When Courts Assign Earning Capacity
What imputed income means, when courts use it for child support calculations, and how to respond.
Step-Parent Custody and Visitation Rights After Divorce
Legal rights of step-parents in custody situations, when they can seek visitation, and adoption considerations.
Military Custody Arrangements: Deployment, PCS, and Parenting Plans
How military service affects custody, deployment provisions, PCS moves, and the SCRA protections.
Virtual Visitation: Video Call Schedules and Court Guidelines
How courts handle virtual visitation, setting up video call schedules, and making it work for kids.
Child's Preference in Custody Decisions: Age and Weight by State
At what age children can express custody preferences, how much weight courts give it, and state-by-state rules.
Parenting Plans for Teenagers: Flexibility, Autonomy, and Boundaries
Creating custody schedules that work for teens, handling their preferences, and adjusting as they grow.
Bird Nesting Custody: Kids Stay, Parents Rotate
How bird nesting custody works, costs, logistical challenges, and whether it is right for your family.
Modifying Custody When a Parent Relocates
Legal process for changing custody when one parent moves, burden of proof, and factors courts consider.
Overnight Visitation for Young Children: Research and Court Trends
What research says about overnight stays for children under 4, court positions, and gradual transition plans.
Child Support with 50/50 Custody: Does Anyone Still Pay
How child support works when parents share custody equally, income offsets, and state variations.
Holiday and Vacation Schedules in Parenting Plans: Detailed Guide
How to structure holiday custody rotations, school breaks, birthdays, and special occasions in your plan.
Guardian ad Litem in Custody Cases: Role, Cost, and What to Expect
What a guardian ad litem does, how they investigate, their recommendations, and how courts weigh them.
Co-Parenting When You Have Different House Rules
Managing different parenting styles between households, what courts care about, and picking your battles.
Nesting Arrangements After Divorce: Pros, Cons, and Logistics
How nesting custody works when kids stay in the home and parents rotate, practical challenges and benefits.
Multi-State Custody Jurisdiction: Which Court Decides
How courts determine jurisdiction when parents live in different states, UCCJEA basics, and emergency rules.