Oregon Parenting Time Schedules: Common 50/50, 60/40, and 80/20 Arrangements

Picking a parenting time schedule is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make during your Oregon custody case. The schedule you choose determines not just your daily routine — it directly affects your child support obligation through Oregon's 73-overnight threshold.

Here's how the most common arrangements work in practice, with overnight counts that matter for Oregon's child support calculation.

Equal (50/50) Schedules

Oregon courts see four primary 50/50 arrangements. Each gives both parents 182-183 overnights per year.

2-2-5-5 Schedule

Parent A always has Monday and Tuesday. Parent B always has Wednesday and Thursday. Weekends (Friday through Sunday) alternate.

Best for: School-age children (ages 6-12) who benefit from predictable weekday routines. The child never goes more than 5 days without seeing either parent.

Trade-off: Requires about two exchanges per week and high coordination between households.

2-2-3 Schedule

The weekly pattern rotates: Parent A gets Monday-Tuesday, Parent B gets Wednesday-Thursday, then Parent A gets Friday through Sunday. The following week, everything flips.

Best for: Younger children (ages 3-7) who struggle with long separations. Maximum gap is 3 days.

Trade-off: The schedule looks different every week, which can confuse younger kids and make planning difficult.

3-4-4-3 Schedule

One parent has Sunday through Tuesday (3 nights). The other has Wednesday through Saturday (4 nights). The following week, the pattern reverses.

Best for: Families wanting fewer mid-week transitions. Only two exchanges per week with a consistent midweek split point.

Trade-off: Both parents share weekends, which some families prefer and others find disruptive.

Alternating Weeks

The child spends one full week with Parent A, then one full week with Parent B. Transitions typically happen Friday after school or Sunday evening.

Best for: Teens and older children who want a stable home base each week. Simplest schedule to explain and follow.

Trade-off: Seven consecutive days is a long stretch without contact for younger children. Consider the child's age and developmental needs before using this schedule.

Unequal Schedules

Not every family works with a 50/50 split. Oregon doesn't presume equal time — the court sets a schedule based on what serves the child's best interests.

60/40 Schedule (~219/146 overnights)

A 60/40 schedule represents roughly 219/146 annual overnights. The weekday and weekend pattern varies, so count the specific calendar rather than relying on the label.

70/30 Schedule (~256/109 overnights)

A 70/30 schedule represents roughly 256/109 annual overnights. The exact pattern varies; count the specific calendar rather than treating an every-other-weekend or midweek-visit example as a fixed 70/30 schedule.

80/20 Schedule (~292/73 overnights)

The child resides primarily with one parent. The other parent has about 73 overnights, often built from every-other-weekend time (approximately 52 overnights) plus additional scheduled time. Every-other-weekend alone does not reach Oregon's 73-overnight threshold for a parenting-time credit.

Why Overnight Counts Matter in Oregon

Oregon uses a parenting-time credit system tied to overnight counts. A parent must exercise at least 73 overnights per year (20% of the year) to receive any credit toward their child support obligation. Below 73, the credit is zero — you pay the full presumptive amount regardless of how close you are to the threshold.

The credit scales gradually: it increases slowly between 73 and 90 overnights, accelerates as you approach equal time, and reaches approximately 50% at 182.5 overnights. Overnights are averaged across two consecutive years to account for alternating holidays.

When calculating, 12 continuous hours can count as one day, and blocks of 4-12 hours can count as half-days — useful for parents with schedules that don't produce traditional overnights.

Choosing a Schedule by Age

Oregon's State Family Law Advisory Committee publishes developmental guidelines:

• Birth to 3: Frequent, short visits preferred over extended overnights. Two to three visits per week for several hours. Introduce overnights only after the child has a secure bond with both parents.
• Ages 6-12: The 50/50 schedules above are options. Balance academic schedules and extracurricular activities.
• Ages 13+: Alternating weeks are one described approach. Teens may push for input into their schedule and need flexibility for work, social life, and school demands.

Planning Your Schedule

The right schedule depends on your child's age, the distance between households, work schedules, and your ability to cooperate with the other parent. The Oregon Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes schedule comparison worksheets and overnight calculators to help you model different options before mediation.

See more Oregon guides →