Determining Child Support
Florida, like many other states, uses specific written guidelines in order to establish each party’s child support obligation, or to modify an existing child support obligation (Florida Statute 61.30). The Florida guidelines take into consideration all income and earnings (typically including anticipated recurring overtime and bonuses) of the parents, as well as health care and child care expenses. These numbers are placed into a worksheet, along with deductions allowed for taxes, individual health insurance costs, alimony and court-ordered child support costs (for children of another relationship) to calculate each party’s child support obligation. A particular time-sharing agreement may also affect the guideline calculations that apply to your case.
The Court may deviate from the guidelines (usually no more than 5%) under some circumstances.
Child support can be ordered by the court on a temporary basis until a final judgment is entered. Once a support order is entered, a separate order of income deduction is typically issued by the court, and served on the employer of the party paying support. This means that support will be deducted by the employer directly from the paying parent’s paycheck, and sent to a central Support Registry to be forwarded to the receiving parent or spouse.
It is important to note that Child support may also be awarded retroactive two years from the filing date of either a divorce or paternity action.
