Why “50/50 Custody” Doesn’t Mean “No Child Support”

How child support is calculated when parents share equal time but not equal income

Ah, yes, the classic line:

“We have 50/50 custody, so I shouldn’t have to pay child support.”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could probably fund every family’s legal fees for a year. (And yes, I’ve heard it from moms and dads alike.)

Let’s clear this up once and for all 👇

💡 50/50 Custody ≠ 50/50 Finances

Equal parenting time doesn’t magically mean equal resources. The court’s job isn’t to punish one parent or reward the other - it’s to make sure the kids’ standard of living stays consistent between homes.

Because here’s the reality: if one household earns $200K and the other earns $60K, the kids shouldn’t go from steak dinners one week to ramen noodles the next.

And here’s the part that’s easy to forget:

👉 This isn’t about your ex and what they do or don’t “deserve.”

That’s a topic for another week (stay tuned for the post on spousal support).

This is about your kids - and making sure their quality of life doesn’t depend on which house they’re sleeping in.

⚖️ How Child Support Is Calculated

Every state has its own formula, but most use some version of an “income shares” model.

That means the court looks at:

• Each parent’s income

• Parenting time split (how many overnights each has)

• Health insurance, daycare, and other child-related costs

Using the parents’ combined income, the court calculates the total cost of raising the kids - and how much each parent should contribute. It’s not about what either wants to pay; it’s about what’s fair for the child.

Even with 50/50 custody, if one parent makes significantly more, they’ll usually owe support. Because time and money aren’t the same thing.

🧾 What the Court Really Cares About

Courts focus on one thing: the child’s best interest - and that includes stability.

If one home has new shoes, extracurriculars, and family vacations while the other struggles to cover groceries, the child feels that imbalance. Child support is designed to close that gap - not to “penalize” anyone.

🗣 Final Thought

When time is equal but incomes aren’t, child support helps bridge the gap so kids experience stability between homes.

So no, 50/50 custody doesn’t “absolve” anyone from paying support. It simply means both parents share time - not necessarily equal financial responsibility.

💬 Curious what child support might look like in your case? Every family’s situation is different - and the formulas don’t always tell the full story.

Let’s talk through your numbers, your parenting schedule, and what fair support could look like for your kids.

👉 Schedule a free consultation here

(Not legal advice. Educational purposes only.)