What is child support if I am divorced in Florida?

A divorce is not a easy situation to go through. In addition to representing the breakdown of a relationship, there are some legal aspects that must be put in order; for example, child support if there are children in the marriage.

According to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School, child support refers to the “the sum that the noncustodial parent must pay to the custodian.”

This amount serves as the payee parent’s contribution to cover the child’s basic living expenses, such as food, clothing, housing, medical care, and education. When a court orders a parent to pay child support, the parent must pay directly to the child’s guardian and not directly to the child.

As for the rules on support, as well as the amounts, they usually vary from state to state. Here, we’ll explain the child support amounts set by Florida.

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Child support amounts set by Florida

According to Florida law firm Ayo & Iken, Florida child support laws are pretty clear: if there are minor children, there is child support. Generally speaking, the amount of support is governed by the income of both parents and the amount stipulated by Florida’s child support guidelines.

Support also depends on the number of nights the child or children spend with each parent. In theory, if the parents have the same income and the children stay the same nights with each parent, child support would be zero.

However, in most cases, that does not happen. Additionally, the amount may vary depending on the number of children, as well as other factors, including taxes, childcare, medical issues and other issues that may significantly change the amount paid or received.

Florida law establishes some guidelines and tables based on the parents’ income that establish the amount of support to be paid. The table includes combined income from $800 to $10,000. On the other hand, the amounts for a single child vary from $190 to $1,437.

For two children, the amount ranges from $211 to $2,228. While, in the event that the support is for three children, the amount varies from $213 up to $2,795 for those who have a combined income of $10,000.

For combined disposable monthly income over $10,000, the obligation will be the minimum support amount shown on the Florida government support table, “plus the following percentages multiplied by the amount of income over $10,000: One child”: 5%, Two children: 7.5%, Three Children: 9.5%, Four children: 11%, Five children: 12%, Six children: 12.5%.

Here you can consult the complete table as well as the complete Florida statute on child support guidelines. If you need help calculating how much child support you may be likely to pay out or receive, Ayo & Iken provide a child support calculator.