How child support is calculated in West Virginia

The formula, the official tool, and the rules for low incomes and health insurance.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

West Virginia uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes count, and each parent pays a share of the child's support. Both parents' gross monthly incomes (adjusted) are combined and looked up in the state table for the number of children.

Model
Income shares
Official calculator
Official West Virginia child support guidelines

Get the number from West Virginia's official tool

Both parents' gross monthly incomes (adjusted) are combined and looked up in the state table for the number of children. Health insurance premiums, child care and extraordinary medical costs are added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Different worksheets apply to shared parenting.

Law: W. Va. Code 48-13-201, 48-13-301 to 48-13-303

We don't estimate West Virginia's amount here: its formula uses both parents' incomes and other facts, and a home-made number could mislead you. The official tool gives the real starting number:

Official West Virginia child support guidelines

Medical support in West Virginia

Every order must provide for the child's current and future medical needs. The child's share of the health insurance premium is added to basic support and split in proportion to income (with a credit to the parent paying it), and extraordinary medical expenses are split the same way.

Law: W. Va. Code 48-13-602; art. 12

The West Virginia guideline, step by step

Both parents' gross monthly incomes (adjusted) are combined and looked up in the state table for the number of children. Health insurance premiums, child care and extraordinary medical costs are added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Different worksheets apply to shared parenting.

Law: W. Va. Code 48-13-201, 48-13-301 to 48-13-303

The model in plain words

Income shares means the child should get what the parents would spend if they lived together. Both incomes are combined, and each parent's share of the total sets their part.

Every state must have one set of child support guidelines, review them at least every 4 years, and use the guideline amount unless a written finding says it would be unjust.

Law: 45 CFR 302.56

The low-income rule in West Virginia

If combined adjusted gross income is below $550 a month (the bottom of the table), basic support is $50 a month or an amount the court sets based on both parents' resources and living expenses.

Law: W. Va. Code 48-13-302

State guidelines may not treat time in jail or prison as choosing not to work, when support is set or changed.

Law: 45 CFR 302.56(c)(3)

In nearby states

From income to an order in West Virginia

  1. Gather income papers

    Recent pay stubs and last year's tax return are the usual starting point.

  2. Use the official tool

    The state's own tool gives the starting number: Official West Virginia child support guidelines.

  3. Include other costs

    The child's health insurance and child care costs can change the amount.

  4. Open a case

    Only a court or the agency can set the amount. Open a case with Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE), West Virginia Department of Human Services (1-800-249-3778) · Apply online

  5. Ask for free help

    Ask for free help: Legal Aid of West Virginia.

Free help in West Virginia

Questions about the West Virginia guidelines

How does West Virginia figure child support?

Both parents' gross monthly incomes (adjusted) are combined and looked up in the state table for the number of children. Health insurance premiums, child care and extraordinary medical costs are added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Different worksheets apply to shared parenting.

What if the paying parent has a low income in West Virginia?

If combined adjusted gross income is below $550 a month (the bottom of the table), basic support is $50 a month or an amount the court sets based on both parents' resources and living expenses.

Who pays for the child's health insurance in West Virginia?

Every order must provide for the child's current and future medical needs. The child's share of the health insurance premium is added to basic support and split in proportion to income (with a credit to the parent paying it), and extraordinary medical expenses are split the same way.

Related West Virginia pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources