How the 80/20 schedule works
An 80/20 schedule usually means every other weekend with a long weekend: Parent B picks the children up on Friday and takes them to school on Monday morning, so they have Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights every other week. That's 3 nights out of 14, about 79/21.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | A | A | A | A | B | B | B |
| Week 2 | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
Letters are the parent the children sleep with that night. Split: about 79/21 of overnights before holidays.
Good for
- The school week stays in one home
- Long weekends give the second parent real time together
- Works when parents live far apart
Watch out for
- Twelve days between visits
- The weekend parent misses most school-week life
Compare other schedules
Every two-week pattern below gives the overnights in order from your start date. A and B are the two parents.
| Schedule | Week 1 | Week 2 | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-2-3 | A A B B A A A | B B A A B B B | 50/50 |
| 2-2-5-5 | A A B B A A A | A A B B B B B | 50/50 |
| 3-4-4-3 | A A A B B B B | A A A A B B B | 50/50 |
| Week on / week off | A A A A A A A | B B B B B B B | 50/50 |
| Every other weekend | A A A A B B A | A A A A A A A | about 86/14 |
| Every other weekend + Wednesday | A A B A B B A | A A B A A A A | about 71/29 |
| 4-3 (60/40) | A A A A B B B | A A A A B B B | about 57/43 |
| Every weekend (70/30) | A A A A B B A | A A A A B B A | about 71/29 |
| Every other long weekend (80/20) | A A A A B B B | A A A A A A A | about 79/21 |
| Every third week | 2 weeks with A, then 1 week with B | about 67/33 | |
If your weeks start on Monday, the letters are Monday to Sunday. Want the pros and cons of each? Read our guide to 50/50 custody schedules.
How overnights and percentages are counted
The calendar colors each day by where the children sleep that night, and the percentage is each parent's share of the overnights shown. Holiday rules and the days you swap are included. Courts and child support offices don't all count parenting time the same way (some count hours, some count days), so use these numbers for planning and ask your attorney how your state counts them.
Printing and sharing
- Print the 12-month calendar for the fridge, or save it as a PDF from the print dialog.
- Add to a calendar: the .ics buttons create one all-day event for each stretch with that parent, which you can import into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook.
- Your settings and swaps stay saved in this browser, so you can come back and update them.
Questions
What does an 80/20 custody schedule look like?
Most 80/20 plans are every other weekend from Friday to Monday morning. Others use every other weekend from Friday to Sunday plus one midweek dinner. Pick a schedule above and swap any day to match your plan.
Can I add holidays to an 80/20 schedule?
Yes. Holidays often go to the weekend parent in alternating years to balance the time. Open Holidays and birthday in the tool and choose who has each one.
How do I make a custody calendar?
Pick the schedule in your parenting plan, choose the date the pattern starts, and add your holiday rules. The calendar fills in every night of the year in each parent's color. Click any day to swap it, for example for a trade you've agreed on.
How is parenting time percentage calculated?
This tool counts overnights: each night is given to the parent the children sleep with, and the percentage is that parent's nights divided by all the nights shown. States and courts don't all count time the same way, so check how yours does it.
Which day should the schedule start on?
Most two-week patterns are written starting on a Monday, so choose a Monday when the first parent's turn begins. If your plan starts on a different day, just pick that date: the pattern runs from whatever start date you choose.
Can I add a holiday schedule?
Yes. Give Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and a birthday to one parent, or alternate them every year. Holiday choices replace the regular schedule for that night.
Is this legal advice?
No. It's a planning and record-keeping tool. Your custody order or parenting plan is what counts, and an attorney or mediator can answer legal questions.
For planning and record-keeping only. This is not legal advice, and your custody order or parenting plan controls.