Louisiana Parenting Time Calculator

Louisiana parenting time is calculated by counting the number of overnight stays each parent has with the child per year and dividing by 365. Under R.S. 9:315.8, a "day" requires at least 4 hours of physical custody to count toward the parenting time calculation. Courts use this percentage to determine child support adjustments, with shared custody arrangements using Worksheet B and joint custody arrangements potentially qualifying for discretionary credits.

Louisiana defines shared custody as each parent having physical custody for "approximately equal" time under R.S. 9:315.9, though the state does not specify an exact percentage threshold like some jurisdictions. Generally, arrangements near 50/50 qualify as shared custody and trigger Worksheet B calculations with the 1.5× multiplier. For joint custody below equal time, the non-domiciliary parent must have the child more than 73 days annually to qualify for a discretionary credit under R.S. 9:315.8(E).

A 2-2-3 custody schedule in Louisiana rotates the child between parents every few days: Parent A has the child Monday-Tuesday, Parent B has Wednesday-Thursday, then they alternate the Friday-Sunday weekend. This results in each parent having approximately 50% parenting time over a two-week cycle. Louisiana courts favor this schedule for younger children because it prevents extended separations from either parent while maintaining consistent contact.

Parenting time directly impacts Louisiana child support calculations. Under R.S. 9:315.9, shared custody (approximately equal time) requires the basic support obligation to be multiplied by 1.5, then cross-multiplied by each parent's actual time percentage. For joint custody arrangements, parents with the child more than 73 days may receive a discretionary credit under R.S. 9:315.8(E). The parent with higher income typically pays the difference to the other parent.

Yes, Louisiana allows parenting plan modifications when you demonstrate a material change in circumstances since the existing order. If parents originally agreed on custody (consent judgment), you only need to prove the change in circumstances and that modification serves the child's best interest. If a court imposed the original custody order (considered judgment), you must also prove continuing the current arrangement would harm the child or that modification benefits substantially outweigh any disruption, per Bergeron v. Bergeron (1986).

Louisiana family law professionals recommend toddlers (ages 1-3) have frequent contact with both parents without extended separations. Effective schedules include the 2-2-3 rotation, alternating every 2 days, or a 5-2 schedule with midweek visits. Research shows children under three experience heightened stress during parent separations exceeding 24 hours. For infants under 12 months, shorter visits of 2-3 hours several times weekly work better than overnight stays until the child adjusts to both households.

Louisiana has no standard holiday schedule—arrangements are tailored to each family. Common approaches include alternating holidays annually (Thanksgiving with one parent in even years, the other in odd years), splitting the day (Christmas Eve with one parent, Christmas Day with the other), or scheduling celebrations twice. Courts typically ensure each parent has one major holiday. School breaks may be spent entirely with one parent, alternating yearly, and Louisiana families often include Mardi Gras in their holiday provisions.

First right of refusal is a parenting plan clause requiring a parent to offer the other parent childcare before using a third party during their custodial time. In Louisiana, parents can include this provision in their custody stipulation, which becomes a court order. Most agreements set a minimum threshold (typically 5-8 hours) to trigger the right. Violating this clause can result in contempt action, and courts will enforce it as written in the custody order.