Quick answer: Michigan decides custody on twelve best-interest factors, must consider joint custody on either parent’s request, and presumes it is in a child’s best interests to have a strong relationship with both parents when setting parenting time. Child support uses a parental time offset with no overnight threshold.
This Michigan parenting time calculator turns a schedule into overnights a year and shows the weights in the offset equation in the Michigan Child Support Formula. Enter the overnights in a 14-day cycle and any extra nights: the result is arithmetic, and the court decides custody, parenting time and support.
Michigan parenting time and custody rules at a glance
| Rule | What Michigan says |
|---|---|
| Best interests | Twelve factors, from love and emotional ties to domestic violence and any other relevant factor (MCL 722.23) |
| Joint custody | Parents are advised of it; at either parent’s request the court shall consider it and state its reasons; agreed joint custody is awarded unless clear and convincing evidence shows it is not in the child’s best interests (722.26a) |
| Parenting time | A strong relationship with both parents is presumed to be in the child’s best interests; agreed terms are ordered unless clear and convincing evidence shows otherwise (722.27a) |
| Changing custody | The court does not change the established custodial environment without clear and convincing evidence that it is in the child’s best interest (722.27(1)(c)) |
| Child support | The parental time offset uses approximate annual overnights raised to the 2.5 power; no overnight threshold (MCSF 3.03) |
| Moving | A child’s legal residence cannot be moved more than 100 miles from where it was when the action began, without consent or the court’s permission (722.31) |
How do custody and parenting time work in Michigan?
- Joint or sole custody. See joint versus sole custody in Michigan.
- Schedules. See parenting time schedules in Michigan.
- Moving with a child. See moving away with a child in Michigan.
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 two weights in the parental time offset equation. It does not calculate child support, which also needs both parents’ base obligations: use the Michigan child support calculator for that, and the Michigan divorce timeline calculator for the dates of the case.
Frequently asked questions
Does Michigan presume joint custody?
No. At either parent’s request the court must consider joint custody and state its reasons, and it awards joint custody the parents agree on unless clear and convincing evidence shows it is not in the child’s best interests.
How many overnights does the Michigan offset need?
None. The parental time offset generally applies to every support determination, and it uses the overnights as a weight.
Does shared time change Michigan child support?
Yes. The offset adjusts each parent’s base support by the other parent’s overnights raised to the 2.5 power.
Does domestic violence affect Michigan custody?
Yes. It is a best-interest factor whether or not the child saw it or was its target.
Does this Michigan calculator set child support?
No. It counts overnights and shows the offset weights; the Michigan child support calculator estimates the guideline amount.