Child Custody Time-Share Calculator
Count overnights to get each parent's parenting-time percentage — then see the part no other calculator shows: whether you cross your state's shared-parenting threshold, the overnight count where child support changes. Free, all 50 states + DC.
An estimate of your parenting-time percentage — not legal advice.
This counts overnights to estimate each parent's time-share percentage and shows whether you cross your state's shared-parenting threshold for child support. Overnight counts are approximate. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
You
14.2%
52 overnights
Other parent
85.8%
313 overnights
The parent with less time has an every-other-weekend schedule (~14%).
What this means for child support
Select your state to see how this time-share percentage affects child support.
Courts and child-support guidelines almost always measure parenting time by overnights per year (out of 365). California is the main exception — it uses your continuous time-share percentage by hours. Exact overnight counts vary by a night or two depending on which parent has the starting week and on leap years, so treat these figures as close estimates, not exact legal counts. This is an estimate, not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How to use this calculator
Start by telling the tool your schedule one of three ways: pick a standard schedule (and say whether you are the parent with more or less time), build a 2-week pattern by tapping the nights that are yours, or enter your overnightsdirectly if you already know them. Add any extra holiday or summer overnights, then choose your state. You will see your parenting-time percentage and a plain-English read of whether you cross your state's shared-parenting line for child support.
Overnights and percentages for common schedules
The standard schedules and roughly what each works out to for the parent with less time:
| Schedule | Overnights / year | ≈ Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Every other weekend (Fri–Sun) | ≈ 52 | 14% |
| Every other weekend, extended (Fri–Mon) | ≈ 78 | 21% |
| Every other weekend + one weeknight | ≈ 104 | 28% |
| Every weekend | ≈ 104 | 29% |
| 4-3 split (60/40) | ≈ 156 | 43% |
| Week on / week off, 2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, 3-4-4-3 (50/50) | ≈ 182–183 | 50% |
How parenting time is measured
Almost every state measures parenting time by overnights — the number of nights a year the child sleeps at each parent's home, out of 365. Your percentage is your overnights divided by 365. That is why this calculator works from a schedule or an overnight count rather than vague "days." The one big exception is California, which uses a continuous time-share percentage measured by hours and feeds it straight into the support formula.
Standard schedules and their percentages
Most custody arrangements fall into a handful of patterns. Every other weekendis about 52 overnights (≈14%). Adding a midweek overnight or moving to every weekend brings it to about 104 (≈28–29%). A 4-3 split is around 156 overnights (≈43%). And the common 50/50 schedules — week on/week off, 2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, and 3-4-4-3 — all land near 182–183 overnights (50%). Exact counts shift by a night or two depending on which parent has the starting week and on leap years, so treat them as close estimates.
The number that actually moves child support
Here is what thin custody calculators leave out: in most states, crossing a specific overnight count moves your case onto a different child-support worksheet, which can change the payment meaningfully. Some states apply that change abruptly — Virginia, for instance, has a well-known sharp drop just below 90 days — while others (Maryland, Idaho, Wisconsin, Wyoming) phase it in gradually above the line. The threshold sits near 90–92 overnights in Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Idaho, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; 104 in New Jersey; 110 in Alaska; 123 in North Carolina; 128 in Iowa and New Mexico; and 146 in Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. Some states — California, Georgia (new for 2026), Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona, and Montana — adjust support continuously with no cliff at all. And several, including Texas and New York, have no automatic adjustment, leaving shared time to the judge's discretion. Select your state in the tool to see exactly where you stand.
From time-share to a support number
Your parenting-time percentage is only half the calculation — income is the other half, and often the larger one. A higher earner can still owe support at a perfect 50/50 split. Once you know your percentage here, run it through our child support calculator to estimate the actual payment, and read your state's child custody laws for how courts set the schedule in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is parenting-time percentage calculated?
Courts and child-support guidelines almost always count overnights — the number of nights per year (out of 365) the child spends with each parent. Your percentage is simply your overnights divided by 365. For example, every other weekend is about 52 overnights, or roughly 14%; a true 50/50 schedule is about 182–183 overnights, or 50%. California is the main exception: it uses a continuous time-share percentage measured by hours, not a fixed overnight count.
How many overnights is 50/50 custody?
About 182 or 183 overnights per year for each parent. Common 50/50 schedules — week on/week off, 2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, and 3-4-4-3 — all average out to roughly half the year, give or take a night depending on which parent has the starting week and on leap years.
What overnight schedule is needed for shared custody to lower child support?
It depends entirely on your state, and that is the most important number this tool gives you. Most states change the child-support formula once a parent crosses a specific overnight threshold — for example 92 in Idaho, Maryland, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; 104 in New Jersey; 110 in Alaska; 123 in North Carolina; 128 in Iowa and New Mexico (and, approximately, Rhode Island); 146 in Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. A few states (California, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona, Montana) adjust support continuously with no cliff, and a handful (Texas, New York, Connecticut, Washington, Mississippi, Alabama) leave it to the judge’s discretion. Select your state above to see your number.
How accurate are these overnight counts?
They are close estimates, not exact legal counts. A schedule’s overnight total shifts by a night or two depending on which parent has the starting week, where the year begins, and leap years, so we show counts with "≈". For a few states (Rhode Island, North Dakota, Montana) the exact support threshold is harder to pin to a single published number; the tool flags those as approximate. For an official count, use your state’s child-support worksheet or ask the court.
Do holidays and summer count toward parenting time?
Yes. Holiday and vacation overnights shift the totals. A parent on an every-other-weekend base (about 52 overnights, 14%) can climb to around 73 overnights — about 20% — once two summer weeks, holidays, and birthdays are added. Use the holiday adjustment field to add those extra overnights on top of your base schedule.
Does a higher time-share percentage always lower my child support?
Usually, but not always, and the size of the change is not linear. In threshold states, support can drop sharply the moment you cross the line and then change little until the next tier; in continuous states (like California) every overnight moves the number a bit. Income still matters most — a parent with much higher income can owe support even at 50/50. Use the result here, then run the numbers in our child-support calculator.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It is a free estimate of your parenting-time percentage and a plain-English read of your state’s shared-parenting threshold. Overnight counts are approximate and the actual support calculation depends on income and other factors. It is not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. Confirm your state’s rule with the court or a family-law attorney.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Overnight counts are approximate, shared-parenting thresholds change with legislation, and the actual child support figure depends on income and many other factors. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. For your specific situation, consult a family-law attorney or your state's child-support agency.