← Back to blog
Children

Child Custody & Support in an Uncontested Divorce

T
The SimplyDivorceOnline Team · Editorial

August 24, 2026 · 1 min read · Updated July 10, 2026

When you agree on the kids, custody and support become paperwork rather than a battle. Here's how it works.

In this article

Free divorce tips

Occasional, useful guidance. Unsubscribe anytime.

Ready when you are

Begin your divorce online

Take the first step at your own pace. No account needed to start.

Begin your divorce
  • Attorney-reviewed guides
  • All 50 states + DC
  • Flat fee, no hidden costs
  • Self-help service, not a law firm
See what you'd save

When parents agree, custody and child support are simply written into the divorce, no courtroom fight required. Here's how they fit into an uncontested divorce.

Custody: put your plan in writing

You'll document both legal custody (who makes major decisions) and physical custody (where the kids live and the schedule). Because you agree, you're not asking a judge to decide, you're presenting a parenting plan for approval. Courts almost always approve a reasonable plan both parents support.

Child support still follows the guideline

Even in an agreed divorce, child support usually has to follow your state's guideline formula, which is based on each parent's income and parenting time. Courts are protective of child support because it's the child's right, so you generally can't waive it to zero just because you both want to. We walk you through your state's calculation.

Why agreement makes it easy

With custody and support settled between you, the rest is documentation: a parenting plan, a support worksheet, and the agreement, all filed with your other divorce forms. No hearings over the kids, no lawyers arguing, just a clear plan for your family's future.

Agreeing on the children is the single biggest thing that keeps a divorce calm, cheap, and quick.

Keep learning