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Collaborative Family Law Mediation Litigation Marital Agreements Separation and Property Settlement Agreements Premarital and Post-Marital Agreements Family Law Divorce Property Division Custody and Visitation Relocation Child Support Alimony and Spousal Support Stepparent Adoption Wills and Powers of Attorney

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Practice Areas

• Collaborative Family Law
• Mediation
• Litigation
• Marital Agreements
  • Separation and Property Settlement Agreements
  • Premarital and Post-Marital Agreements
• Family Law
  • Divorce
  • Property Division
  • Custody and Visitation
  • Relocation
  • Child Support
  • Alimony and Spousal Support
  • Stepparent Adoption
  • Wills and Powers of Attorney

Child Support

Both parents have the responsibility to financially support their children, regardless of marital status.

Factors for determining child support

The Code of Virginia provides guidelines that determine the presumptive child support amount based upon:

• Combined gross monthly income of both parents
• Number of children 
• Percentage of time the children are in the physical custody of each parent
• Cost of providing health insurance for the children
• Amount of work-related daycare expenses
• Extraordinary medical and/or dental expenses of the children 

There are cases in which the presumptive child support amount is insufficient to support a child’s needs and a deviation to the support amount may be appropriate. 

Termination of child support

Parents are required to provide financial support until a child reaches the age of 18. 

Child support is required beyond age 18 if:

Child continues to be a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting and still resides in the residence of the parent seeking or receiving support. Under these circumstances, child support will continue until the child reaches the age of 19 or graduates from high school, whichever is first to occur.

Note:  A child support obligation may continue indefinitely if a child is severely and permanently mentally or physically disabled, unable to live independently and support himself and resides in the residence of the parent seeking or receiving support.