The 60/40 custody schedule

Patterns that give one parent about eight or nine nights in fourteen: 4-3, extended weekends, or week-on week-off with a midweek overnight.

60/40

time split (57% / 43%)

8 / 6

overnights per 14 nights

exchanges per 14 nights

60/40 on a two-week calendar

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	A	A	A	A	B	B	B
Week 2	A	A	A	A	B	B	B

A = Parent AB = Parent BEach cell is one overnight. The pattern repeats every two weeks.

Which ages the 60/40 schedule suits

Families where equal time is not practical because of work, distance or the children's age, but both parents want a real share of weekdays and weekends.

Infants (0 to 18 months)●●○
Toddlers (18 months to 3)●●●
Preschool (3 to 5)●●●
School age (6 to 12)●●●
Teens (13+)●●○

Pros and cons of 60/40

Works well

More flexible than 50/50 about who carries the school week
Several patterns to choose from
Can step up to 50/50 later by adding a night

Watch out for

Overnight counts feed child support in most states, so the split has a cost
Needs a clear plan about weekends or one parent loses them entirely

What your parenting plan should say

Describe the full cycle in days and times, not as a percentage. Name the parent who starts and the date the cycle begins, state where exchanges happen, and say that the holiday schedule overrides this one. Sample wording:

Parent A shall have the children from Sunday evening until Thursday morning each week and Parent B from Thursday after school until Sunday evening each week, giving Parent A approximately eight overnights and Parent B six overnights in every fourteen. The parents shall review the schedule when the youngest child reaches age eight with a view to moving toward equal time.

Adapt the day names and times to your family. This is sample wording, not legal advice for your case.

Write the 60/40 schedule into your agreement

The Complete Co-Parenting Kit includes the fillable parenting agreement with a ready-made schedule section, holiday clauses and a completion guide, plus the 30-Day Reset workbook and 20 message scripts for proposing a schedule to a reluctant co-parent.

See what is in the Kit ($297)

Delivered by email. 30-day money-back guarantee.

60/40 schedule: questions parents ask

What does a 60/40 custody schedule look like?

The common versions are 4-3 (four nights with one parent, three with the other, every week), an extended weekend from Thursday to Monday, and week-on week-off with one or two midweek overnights for the other parent.

Is 60/40 considered joint custody?

In most states, yes. Joint physical custody usually means both parents have substantial time, not necessarily equal time. Check your state's definition.

How does 60/40 affect child support?

Many state formulas adjust support according to overnights. The move from 50/50 to 60/40 often changes the figure, sometimes substantially.

Which 60/40 pattern is best for young children?

4-3, because no gap exceeds four nights and the pattern repeats weekly.

What should the plan say?

Pick one specific pattern and write it out in full. Do not write "approximately 60/40"; write the days.

Other 60/40 schedules

4-3: Four nights with one parent and three with the other, every week. A simple 60/40.
Every extended weekend: One parent has every Thursday evening to Monday morning; the other has Monday to Thursday. About 60/40 with the weekend fixed.