Vermont Child Support & Parenting Time Calculations
Child support is how one parent pays their share of the basics of raising a child, including housing.
If you have a family case in a Vermont court that involves child custody, the court will address child support too. But if you don't have a court case, you can apply for child support services through the Office of Child Support (OCS).
Factors in Vermont child support
Vermont's Child Support Guidelines tell courts how to determine the support amount. The formula is complex, but you can get an estimate using the calculator above or Vermont's child support calculator. Here are the main factors.
Number of children
A support order increases with the number of children it covers. The guidelines recommend dollar amounts for up to six children.
Parenting time
If each parent has at least 25% of annual overnights in the parenting schedule, the parent who pays child support gets a credit for their time. Use a parenting time calculator to count your overnights.
Incomes
You can adjust your after-tax incomes for qualified deductions, like what you pay for child care. You'll have to provide financial documents (e.g., your pay stubs and tax returns).
Your ability to support yourself
The parent who pays child support is entitled to keep a self-support reserve, meaning enough income to support themself.
Medical support
Parents can agree to medical support, which specifies who pays for health insurance and other medical expenses. Courts sometimes order medical support even when parents don't agree — usually if the child has high medical costs.
Under Vermont law, the custodial parent must pay the first $200 of the child's unreimbursed medical expenses each year.
How to request child support
In Vermont, courts order child support, and OCS works with the courts as needed. If you need help approaching the court, apply for OCS services.
Through a court
If either parent has opened a case to determine custody (whether as unmarried parents or as part of a divorce), the court will likely order child support. If it doesn't, you can seek it later. Ask the court directly, or apply for support services through OCS.
Through OCS
Submit an Application for Child Support Services. Within a few days, OCS will assign a caseworker.
You'll likely need to attend a one-hour conference, where you'll be encouraged to reach agreement. If you don't reach agreement, you'll have a hearing before a magistrate or judge.
If a parent gets public assistance, like Reach Up or Medicaid, OCS automatically opens a case. It tries to collect support from one parent and give it to the other. In this situation, you won't need to complete the application above, unless you need additional services.
OCS services may include:
- Locating the other parent and establishing legal parentage
- Determining whether a parent is employed and how much support they can pay
- Establishing, modifying or enforcing a support order
Both parents must cooperate with the state.
Asking for an amount that differs from the guideline
You and the other parent can reach an agreement on the amount of support. The amount must serve your child's needs. The court will review your agreement.
OCS can recommend a different amount if it believes it would be in your child's best interests.
How child support is paid
Child support is usually paid by wage withholding, meaning it comes out of a parent's paycheck. If this isn't possible (for example, because the parent is self-employed), the court specifies in the support order that the parent is responsible for sending the payment.
Usually the funds must be sent to OCS, which records the payment and passes on the money to the other parent. OCS accepts credit or debit as well as checks. The custodial parent should return to OCS any direct payments or overpayments they receive so the money is accounted for.
However, the court may decide not to involve OCS and instead order one parent to pay the other directly. This is more likely if parents agree to the arrangement.
How child support is enforced
If one parent isn't paying support as ordered, the owed parent should inform OCS (if it's involved) or the court. Submit an Arrears Affidavit to describe the back child support you're owed.
- Locating a parent's employer to start wage withholding
- Putting a lien on a parent's property
- Notifying their professional licensing body
- Asking the federal government not to renew their passport
- Starting a court case
A court can hold a parent accountable in various ways, including:
- Finding them in contempt of court
- Suspending their driver's license
- Ordering them to seek work
How to change child support
If a court is changing your custody arrangement, you can ask it to update your support order at the same time.
If you're asking to change only child support, ask your OCS caseworker (if you have one) or your local court clerk for a Modification Package. File the forms.
The fastest route is to reach agreement with the other parent. If you're arguing over child support, the court will schedule a hearing a few months out.
Though OCS may be involved in your support case, it's not automatically aware of what happens in court. Notify OCS at least a couple weeks in advance of any court hearing related to child support. Once you receive your modified child support order from the court, inform OCS about it.
Calculating your parenting time
Your parenting timeshare impacts how the court calculates child support.
Estimating your number of overnights, rather than calculating them exactly, can impact your child support order by thousands of dollars a year.
Still, attorneys and the court usually estimate because manually tallying days is time-consuming.
The Custody X Change app lets you quickly calculate your time with your child.
Try this with Custody X Change.
Whether you're paying or receiving child support, use Custody X Change to make sure your calculation is exact. The number will affect you, your child and the other parent for years to come.
Frequently asked questions
If I'm not sure if the child is mine, do I have to pay child support?
You can be ordered to pay support if you're a legal parent. If you feel uncertain the child is yours, notify the court or OCS as soon as possible. It may order a DNA test.
What if I can't afford to pay what was ordered?
Seek a modification to your support order. You're allowed to do so every three years, or anytime recalculating would reduce what you owe by at least 10% (for example, because you lost your job).
What if I think my ex can afford to pay more now?
Use the new information to recalculate what you should be paid. You're allowed to seek a modification if it would increase what you're owed by at least 10%. You can also seek a modification every three years.
When do payments stop?
In Vermont, child support generally continues until the child is 18 and no longer in high school. If it's time for support to end, speak with the court or OCS.