So you are thinking about getting a divorce. Obviously one of the first things you might be 
concerned with is how much your child support will be.
There are a number of factors to be considered in determining child support.
- Net Monthly Income of Non-Custodial Parent:
- Net Monthly Income of Custodial Parent:
- Number of children who are the subject of the pending action:
- Monthly Cost of daycare paid by Non-Custodial Parent:
- Monthly cost of daycare paid by Custodial Parent:
- Monthly cost of Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance paid by Non-Custodial Parent:
- Monthly cost of Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance paid by Custodial Parent:
There are websites out there with child support calculators that you give you a pretty good idea of what your amount will be. Google “Child Support Calculator Your State” to find one for your state.
Here in Florida, it is important to know that he Florida Child Support Enforcement Program Can Help You.
The Florida Child Support Enforcement Program is administered by the Florida Department of Revenue. They provide a number of services to families that need assistance with child support throughout Florida. There are only two counties in which an alternative organization handles child support services: Miami-Dade County (child support matters are handled by the State Attorney’s Office) and Manatee County (child support matters are handled by the Manatee County Clerk of Court).
Contact the Florida Child Support Enforcement Program for help with any of the following matters related to child support:
Determining Paternity
If you had a child out of wedlock and are not sure who the father is or need to establish legal paternity, the Florida Child Support Enforcement Program can help you. In Florida, there are five ways to establish paternity: marriage, acknowledgement of paternity, administrative order based on genetic testing, court order and legitimation. The Florida Child Support Enforcement Program can assist with all of these methods of determining paternity.
Establishing Child Support Orders
If you do not have a child support order in place, the Florida Child Support Enforcement Program can assist you with applying for court-ordered child support. You must have a child support order through the courts for child support payments to be a legal obligation. It is the goal of the Child Support Enforcement Program to get both parents to agree to the amount of child support based on state guidelines that are in place to help determine appropriate amounts of child support.
Enforcing Child Support Orders
The Florida Child Support Enforcement Program can help enforce child support orders by suspending the offender’s licenses (professional, driver, hunting, fishing, etc.), denying a passport, issuing an income deduction order, intercepting money (IRS tax refunds, lottery winnings, workers’ compensation benefits, unemployment benefits, insurance settlements, etc.), placing liens against property and freezing financial accounts. When all else fails, a negligent parent may be arrested.
Modifying Child Support Orders
Over time, financial and life circumstances change and child support orders need to be modified. Either parent may request a review of an existing support order. For a support order to change, either parent’s financial situation must have changed enough to create at least a 10 percent difference in monthly child support. Generally, a parent must wait at least three years to seek a child support modification.
If you are considering a divorce, perhaps you should consider calling Steven Hair. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.
For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.