In Florida, both parents are under a legal requirement to financially support their children. In most cases, when parents separate or divorce, the parent who spends less time with the children will be required to pay child support. The amount of child support to be paid is a highly structured calculation, so there is usually not a whole lot of room for negotiation.
To determine child support, you begin by determining each parent's average "gross" monthly income. Usually this is done by averaging income over the past several months. After determining the average gross monthly income, the next step is to determine each parent's "net" monthly income. The net monthly income is calculated by subtracting certain expenses from the gross monthly income. More often than not, deductable expenses include federal and state taxes, health insurance costs for each parent, and other items such as mandatory union dues. A list of the deductions can be found in Florida Statute section 61.30.
The same statute contains a chart for determining what amount of child support should be owed by both parents. This is called the "guideline amount" because Florida, like every other state, has "child support guidelines."
In addition to the basic guideline amount, there are often adjustments which need to be made. For example, if there is a daycare expense, then it must be factored into the guideline amount. Similarly, if one parent is providing health insurance for the children, then that must be factored in as well. In the event you are contemplating separation or divorce, you can run some rough calculations at this web site.
The process may sound simple, but there are many other factors which must be taken into account before child support can be accurately calculated. Every case is different. So before you try to determine the amount of child support you will recieve or have to pay, be sure to contact a qualifed Jacksonville area child support attorney to make sure the calculations are correct. |
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Posted By Wesley H. Owens on April 06, 2010 05:50 pm | Permalink  |