The Intact Family Table and Self-Support Reserve in Vermont

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Vermont reads the guideline amount from the Table of Intact Family Expenditures on Children, adds child care and extraordinary expenses, divides the total by available income and keeps the noncustodial parent at or above a $1,596 self-support reserve.

The Table of Intact Family Expenditures

The Secretary of Human Services must prescribe a guideline that reflects the percent of combined available income that parents living in the same household ordinarily spend on their children (15 V.S.A. 654). The table runs from $625 of combined monthly available income to $30,024.99, in $50 rows, for one to six children. With combined available income of $8,356, the guideline amount for two children is $2,184.

Child care and extraordinary expenses

The total support obligation is the guideline amount plus work-related child care (net of subsidies and tax credits), extraordinary medical expenses, which include uninsured annual medical expenses over $200, and extraordinary educational expenses (15 V.S.A. 653). With $500 of monthly child care the noncustodial parent pays $1,490 instead of $1,212.

The parental support obligation

The total support obligation is divided in proportion to the parents’ available incomes, and the noncustodial parent pays his or her share to the custodial parent, who is presumed to spend his or her share directly on the child (15 V.S.A. 656(a)).

The self-support reserve

The reserve is a needs standard set annually at 120% of the federal poverty guideline for a single person; it has been $1,596 a month since February 2, 2026. If the guideline payment would reduce the noncustodial parent’s income below it, the share is presumed to be the difference between the reserve and his or her available income. A noncustodial parent with $2,000 of gross income owes $123 rather than $469; with $1,700 the available income is below the reserve and the court sets a nominal amount.

Below and above the table

If the noncustodial parent’s available income is below the lowest figure in the guideline or below the reserve, the court uses its discretion and must require a nominal payment; above the highest table level the court may use its discretion (656(b) and (d)).

Questions to bring to an attorney

Ask how the court would treat child care and extraordinary expenses and whether you have grounds to ask for an adjustment under section 659.

Adjusting the guideline

The guideline amount is presumed to be the amount needed. On request, the court may adjust it if it is unfair to the child or a party, considering, among other things, the child’s resources, the standard of living, the child’s condition and educational needs, inflation and extraordinary travel for parent-child contact (15 V.S.A. 659).

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• 15 V.S.A. 656: computation of parental support obligation
• 15 V.S.A. 657: shared or split physical custody
• 15 V.S.A. 653: definitions
• Vermont Office of Child Support: child support calculator and guideline tables
• OCS Table of Intact Family Expenditures on Children (January 2, 2024)

This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Vermont statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Vermont attorney.