Quick answer: Indiana decides custody on the child’s best interests and says there is no presumption favoring either parent. For child support, the Parenting Time Table gives the noncustodial parent a credit that starts at 52 overnights, the equivalent of alternate weekends, and rises to equal parenting time at 181 to 183 overnights.
This Indiana parenting time calculator turns a schedule into overnights a year and looks up the credit percentage in the table in Indiana Child Support Guideline 6. Enter the overnights in a 14-day cycle and any extra nights: the result is arithmetic, and the court decides custody and support.
Indiana parenting time and custody rules at a glance
| Rule | What Indiana says |
|---|---|
| Best interests | The court determines custody in accordance with the best interests of the child, and there is no presumption favoring either parent (IC 31-17-2-8) |
| Factors | Nine listed: the child’s age and sex, the parents’ wishes, the child’s wishes, relationships, adjustment, health, a pattern of domestic or family violence, a de facto custodian and a power of attorney designation |
| Joint legal custody | The court may award it if it finds it in the child’s best interest; agreement of the parents is of primary but not determinative importance (31-17-2-13) |
| Child support credit | The Parenting Time Table starts at 52 overnights and ends at equal parenting time, 181 to 183 overnights (Guideline 6) |
| Moving | A move of 60 days or more needs a notice at least 90 days ahead, and the other parent has 60 days to object (31-17-2.2) |
| Burden in a move | The relocating parent first proves good faith and a legitimate reason; then the other parent must show the move is not in the child’s best interest |
How do custody and parenting time work in Indiana?
- Joint or sole custody. See joint versus sole custody in Indiana.
- Schedules. See parenting time schedules in Indiana.
- Moving with a child. See moving away with a child in Indiana.
What does this parenting time calculator check?
You enter the overnights the other parent has in a typical 14-day cycle and any extra overnights a year, such as summer and holidays. The calculator scales the cycle to 365 nights, adds the extras, finds the parent with fewer overnights and shows the row of the Parenting Time Table that applies, with the total credit and the duplicated-expense percentage. It does not calculate child support: use the Indiana child support calculator for that, and the Indiana divorce timeline calculator for the dates of the case.
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana presume joint custody?
No. In determining the child’s best interests, there is no presumption favoring either parent.
How many overnights start the Indiana parenting time credit?
52 overnights a year, the equivalent of alternate weekends.
What is equal parenting time in Indiana child support?
181 to 183 overnights a year, where the court designates which parent pays the controlled expenses.
Does domestic violence affect Indiana custody?
Evidence of a pattern of domestic or family violence by either parent is one of the best-interest factors.
Does this Indiana calculator set child support?
No. It counts overnights and looks up the credit; the Indiana child support calculator estimates the guideline amount.