Virginia child support: income and expense records checklist
Use this organizer before filling in a worksheet or discussing support with a lawyer. It helps you identify where a figure came from and what still needs checking. It is an editorial checklist, not an official court form, filing requirement or support calculator. A court, agency or lawyer may ask for different records for your case.
For the calculation itself, see the Virginia child-support guidelines worksheet guide. This page focuses on organizing evidence rather than reproducing its calculation or the official forms.
Keep a record of each figure
A useful working list has four columns: the item, the period it covers, the source document and any question to resolve. Keep weekly, monthly and annual figures clearly labelled. Record the date of each document so that an old figure is not mistaken for current information. Keep copies securely; this website does not collect or review your financial records. To see how income feeds the guideline, read how much child support is in Virginia.
| Item | Examples to gather | Question to check |
|---|---|---|
| Income | Pay statements, tax records and records of other income. | Does the figure cover all relevant sources rather than just the bank deposit? |
| Business or rental income | Income records and documents supporting claimed expenses. | Which expenses meet the statutory rules? |
| Health coverage | Premium statements, people covered and any insurer-provided cost per child. | Which portion relates to the children in this support case? |
| Childcare | Provider invoices, payment records and the work schedule. | What costs relate to employment? |
| Parenting time | The current order or agreement and a dated calendar. | How do the statutory day-counting rules apply? |
| Existing support | Orders or written agreements and records of payments. | Which amounts were ordered, agreed and actually paid? |
Why these categories matter
Virginia Code § 20-108.2 defines income and adjustments in subsection C, treats unreimbursed medical expenses separately in D, and addresses coverage, employment-related childcare and custody calculations in E–G. Taxable income and take-home pay are not substitutes for the statutory income definition. The documents help establish inputs; they do not decide the amount owed. Separate guides explain gross income compared with take-home pay, self-employment income, health insurance costs and work-related childcare costs.
The statute's shared-custody provision uses more than 90 days and its own definition of a day. A calendar label or an informal overnight total is not enough to select the formula; our guide to the shared-custody 90-day rule explains why. Check the current statute and instructions with someone qualified to apply them.
Military families: keep the full LES
A Leave and Earnings Statement can show several pay and allowance categories as well as deductions. Keep the full statement and note changes in pay, allowances or assignment. The official DFAS pay page links to branch-specific LES explanations. The labels on a military statement do not by themselves decide how Virginia treats an item for child support. See the military-divorce guide for the broader context.
Before using or filing a worksheet
- Mark estimates and missing documents instead of silently treating them as zero.
- Keep the working list separate from the form that will actually be filed.
- Check the Virginia courts' J&DR forms directory for current forms and instructions.
- Ask the clerk or your lawyer about filing procedures and handling sensitive information.
Completing a new worksheet does not itself change an existing support order; see changing a Virginia child support order and income withholding compared with the support order. For help finding advice, use the legal-aid and lawyer-referral resources.