Am I Paying Too Much Child Support? How Child Support Is Calculated In Florida
Child support payments are calculated in accordance with Florida law. If you are struggling to pay child support and support yourself at the same time, you may be interested to know that you can modify a child support order based on changes to your income. The court will only consider such a modification when there is a substantial change to your circumstances. In this article, the Orlando child support attorneys at Greater Orlando Family Law will discuss child support modifications based on sudden changes in your circumstances and how Florida calculates child support payments.
How is child support calculated in Florida?
In Florida, the Florida Child Support Guidelines outline how much child support is paid by each spouse. Our state uses an income shares model to determine child support payments. The amount of child support paid is based on the total net income of both spouses. For example, if two spouses have a total net income of $6,000 per month, then the total amount of child support paid would be $1,121.00. This number could be offset by expenses paid by either parent toward the child’s benefit. This could include health insurance, daycare, private school tuition, fees, and other matters. Timesharing also factors into the amount of money paid by one parent to another. Generally speaking, the parent would pay support in proportion to their income.
Florida courts are granted limited flexibility in setting the amount of child support for a particular case. To be specific, courts are only allowed to set a child support amount that is 5% greater or less than the guidelines specify. If the court diverges from the guidelines by more than 5%, it must issue a written explanation that explains why the guidelines don’t apply to the case.
Modifying a child support order in Florida
Florida law makes it possible to reduce child support payments under certain conditions. To qualify for a modification or reduction of your child support payments, you must be able to establish that there has been a substantial change in your financial circumstances. Examples of substantial changes include:
- An increase or decrease in the income of either parent
- Court-ordered child support for children from other relationships
- An increase or decrease in the number of overnight visits with one parent
- The involuntary loss of a job
The court will grant a modification of child support so long as the new figure is more than either $50 or 15% greater or less than the original figure that they paid. If you are unsure as to whether or not your circumstances qualify for a modification of child support, you should contact an Orlando child support attorney right away.
Talk to an Orlando Family Law Attorney Today
If you think you’re paying too much in child support, you can petition the court for a modification with the help of an Orlando child support attorney. Call Greater Orlando Family Law today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your situation right away.
Source:
flcourts.org/content/download/685815/file_pdf/902%28e%29.pdf
