Child Support

In Florida, child support is based on a formula that incorporates the gross and net incomes of each parent (imputing minimum wage if necessary to one spouse who has not worked or is unemployed), and providing a credit to each parent for each parent’s overnight time-sharing as well as (sometimes) other credits for health insurance and/or childcare. Child support is awarded whether parents are divorcing or unmarried. Child support is the child’s right, not the parents, and cannot be waived. A calculated pro-rated percentage will also be determined by this formula and applied to additional expenses for the child(ren) (i.e. extracurricular activities, out-of-pocket medical expenses, camp, school/education-related expenses, etc). The amount of child support is always modifiable as well as non-taxable to the payee and non-deductible to the payor.