Child Support
When parents separate or divorce, providing stability for their children remains a top priority. Child support plays an important role in meeting a child’s day-to-day needs and helping maintain consistency between households. At Goodblatt · Leo, we assist parents with establishing, reviewing, and enforcing child support orders as part of divorce and paternity matters.
In Florida, child support is not something parents decide informally on their own. Support must be calculated under state guidelines and approved by the court. Understanding how those guidelines work can help you set realistic expectations and avoid problems later.
How Child Support Is Calculated in Florida
Florida uses an income-sharing model, which means both parents are expected to contribute financially based on their ability to do so. The court looks at the parents’ combined net income and allocates support proportionally.
Key factors include:
- Each parent’s net income
- The number of children
- The number of overnights (time-sharing) each parent has with the children
- Health insurance costs for the children
- Childcare expenses related to work or education
Once the total support amount is determined, each parent’s share is calculated based on their percentage of the combined income.
Adjustments and Deviations
While the guidelines provide a standard calculation, courts may adjust the amount in certain situations. A judge may deviate slightly from the guideline amount when appropriate and may deviate further when specific facts justify it.
Examples may include:
- Special medical or educational needs
- Significant childcare costs
- Independent income or assets available to the children
Any deviation must be supported by legally sufficient reasons and approved by the court.
Modifying and Enforcing Child Support
Child support orders can be reviewed and modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances, such as a change in income or time-sharing. The guidelines are also applied when reviewing an existing order to determine whether an adjustment is appropriate.
Failure to pay child support can lead to serious consequences, including:
- Wage withholding
- Contempt proceedings
- Driver’s license suspension
- Court-ordered job search or employment programs
Why Clients Choose Goodblatt · Leo
At Goodblatt · Leo, child support issues are regularly addressed in divorce and paternity cases. Our attorneys assist parents with establishing child support orders, reviewing existing orders, and addressing enforcement or payment concerns. We routinely work with a range of income structures and time-sharing arrangements, allowing us to focus on accurate application of Florida’s child support guidelines.
Because child support often overlaps with issues such as time-sharing, paternity, and adoption, our attorneys take a careful, detail-oriented approach to each case. Clear explanations and attention to financial information help support child support orders that are appropriate and workable over time.
