This article explains, in general terms, how North Carolina’s child support worksheets work. It is not legal advice and does not replace review of your specific facts by a licensed North Carolina family law attorney. Guideline figures, income caps, and forms are revised periodically — confirm current numbers before relying on them in a filing.
North Carolina uses one of three standard worksheets to calculate child support, and the overnight custody schedule decides which one applies. Worksheet A applies when one parent has the child most of the time and the other has fewer than 123 overnights a year. Worksheet B applies when both parents each have the child at least 123 overnights a year. Worksheet C applies when there are multiple children and each parent has primary custody of at least one. Every worksheet starts the same way: both parents’ gross incomes, combined, run against the state’s Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations.
Which NC worksheet applies to you
Custody time — not who earns more — decides the worksheet. Count overnights over a full year, not a “typical” week; courts look at the actual or actually-proposed schedule.
- Worksheet A (AOC-CV-627) — one parent has primary physical custody; the other parent has the child fewer than 123 nights a year.
- Worksheet B (AOC-CV-628) — custody is shared or joint; each parent has the child at least 123 nights a year.
- Worksheet C (AOC-CV-629) — there are two or more children in the case, and each parent has primary custody of at least one of them (split custody).
Those are the current official Administrative Office of the Courts form numbers. If a courthouse hands you a worksheet that looks different, check the form number and revision date against nccourts.gov — worksheets get updated alongside the guidelines, and an outdated version can throw off the math.
How the income shares number is built
North Carolina uses the income shares model, the same basic approach used in most states, including Virginia (see our breakdown of Fairfax County, Virginia’s calculator). The idea: a child should get roughly the income share they’d have received if both parents lived together.
- Each parent’s gross monthly income is calculated and combined into one figure.
- That combined figure is checked against the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, a table set by the state, to find a base support amount tied to income and number of children.
- The base amount is split between the parents in proportion to each one’s share of the combined income.
- Add-ons are layered in: work-related child care, health and dental insurance premiums, and any court-approved extraordinary expenses.
- Worksheets B and C also adjust for the actual overnight split, since both parents are covering day-to-day costs during their own custodial time.
The result is a presumptive monthly figure — the number a court is expected to order unless someone shows why it shouldn’t apply.
Worksheet A vs B: the 123-overnight line
The line between Worksheet A and Worksheet B is precise: 123 overnights per year for each parent. Below that, the case runs on Worksheet A, which treats one household as primary and calculates support to cover its costs, offset for time the other parent already has. At 123 nights or more for both parents, the case runs on Worksheet B, which assumes both households independently cover everyday costs and adjusts the transfer payment accordingly.
123 nights works out to roughly one-third of the year — not an even 50/50 split. A parent can clear the Worksheet B threshold without having exactly half the calendar. What matters is the count of overnights actually exercised (or, in a pending case, what the proposed schedule provides), not the label “joint custody” written into an order.
Worksheet C: when custody is split by child
Worksheet C applies only with more than one child in the case, where each parent has primary physical custody of at least one — one child lives mainly with mom, another mainly with dad. The worksheet effectively runs the Worksheet A math in both directions, then nets the two obligations into a single payment. It’s a narrower, less common scenario than A or B, and worth confirming against the worksheet itself, or with an attorney, before assuming it applies.
What can change the number
The base schedule sets a starting figure, but several things routinely move it:
- Work-related child care. Reasonable child care costs tied to a parent’s job or job search get added to the obligation.
- Health and dental insurance. The premium attributable to covering the child is added in, generally treated as reasonable if it doesn’t exceed a modest percentage of the paying parent’s income.
- Extraordinary expenses. Costs like private-school tuition tied to a documented need, or transporting the child between households, can be added if a court finds them reasonable, necessary, and in the child’s interest.
- The self-support reserve. The guidelines build in a floor tied to the federal poverty level for one person, so a very low-income parent isn’t ordered to pay below subsistence. Below a certain income, the guidelines call for a flat minimum order (recently around $50/month) instead of the formula result.
- The income ceiling. The schedule tops out at $40,000 in combined monthly gross income (about $480,000 a year) under the guidelines effective January 1, 2023. Above that, the table doesn’t apply, and the court sets support based on the child’s needs and family circumstances instead.
Guideline figures are presumed correct, but presumed isn’t fixed. A parent can ask a court to deviate — up or down — by showing the guideline amount doesn’t match the child’s reasonable needs or the family’s circumstances. That’s a fact-specific argument, not a worksheet line item.
Want to see where your numbers land? Our free child support calculator runs the same income-shares math NC courts use, so you get a working estimate before filling out a court form. Ready to file? Our worksheet forms app helps you build and check Worksheets A, B, or C. For a fuller walkthrough, see the book Navigating Child Support.
What the guideline can’t tell you
The worksheet can’t tell you which one a court will use if the parties disagree about custody time, how a judge will weigh a deviation request, or whether income should be calculated differently for self-employment, bonuses, or imputed earning capacity. It also won’t tell you what happens after the order is entered — requesting a change later is a separate process, covered in our guide to requesting a modification without a lawyer.
The guidelines are reviewed on a four-year cycle under state law, and North Carolina’s chief district court judges were gathering public comment on a new review in 2026. The dollar figures, the income ceiling, and the worksheets themselves can change. Confirm you’re working from the version currently posted on nccourts.gov before relying on a number for a filing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I should use Worksheet A or Worksheet B?
Count overnights over a full year. Fewer than 123 nights a year for the other parent means Worksheet A; 123 or more nights for both parents means Worksheet B. If the schedule is close to the line, confirm the count against the actual custody order or calendar first.
Does 50/50 custody automatically mean Worksheet B?
Not necessarily, though it usually does. What matters is whether each parent clears 123 overnights a year, not whether the schedule is labeled “50/50” or “joint.” The actual overnight count controls, not the label on the parenting plan.
What happens if our combined income is above the guideline cap?
Under the guidelines effective January 1, 2023, the schedule tops out at $40,000 in combined monthly gross income. Above that, the schedule doesn’t produce a number — the court sets support based on the child’s needs and the family’s circumstances instead.
Can a judge order something different from what the worksheet calculates?
Yes. The worksheet result is presumed correct, but either parent can ask the court to deviate by showing the guideline amount doesn’t fit the child’s needs or the family’s situation. A judge must make specific findings to justify a deviation — it isn’t automatic.
This article is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. North Carolina child support law, the guidelines, income thresholds, and official forms change over time and are subject to periodic revision. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed North Carolina family law attorney or review the current guidelines and worksheets published at nccourts.gov.
