In Florida, courts calculate child support based on the income-sharing model, which uses specific guidelines that take into account both parties’ income and deductions. The calculation also takes into account the parents’ timeshare, which is based on the time the child spends with each parent. While there is no real upper limit to how much a person must pay in child support, using the revenue sharing model ensures that a parent’s support obligation will never exceed their ability to pay. However, determining how much a parent is required to pay for child support can remain a complex process, so it is especially important that those dealing with these types of issues have an experienced child support attorney available for guidance can.
Florida Child Support Guidelines
Your Divorce and Estate Planning
It is important to amend, modify, or revoke your estate planning documents after a divorce. Also, it is important to begin this process before your divorce is final.
Most people think, “I’ll wait until I’m divorced to change my last will and will, health insurance substitute designation, living will, and financial power of attorney.”
Are there upper limits for child support?
There is no real upper limit to a person’s monthly maintenance obligation. However, the legal formula for calculating child support means that the child support obligation must never exceed a person’s ability to pay. The court reviews a child’s standard of living before the divorce and sets the calculation so that the child will enjoy the same or similar standard of living after the divorce. In addition, the court works to ensure that the payments are proportionate to the income level of the paying parent. The ability of the parents to pay is a key factor in calculating child support.
To begin the calculation, the monthly gross for both parents is calculated, which includes things like salary, bonuses, interest earned, dividends received, disability benefits, unemployment benefits, and alimony, among other sources of income. Some things, like income tax, are deducted from your gross monthly income. The child support policy then assesses how many nights the child will spend with each parent according to the established parenting plan. Health insurance costs and out-of-pocket medical expenses are covered along with childcare costs such as e.g. day care or after-school care, are included in the calculation of child support.
What does child support cover?
The child support process is designed to ensure that the child continues to have a decent standard of living. All child support payments accrue to the child. However, some benefits may accrue to the non-paying parent as an ancillary benefit. Child support payments may include the following items, for example.
- Food and clothing. In addition to weekly grocery shopping, include meals away from home and school and; Buy clothes regularly.
- Education expenditure. – Tuition, uniforms, books, consumables and activities (extracurricular sports, music lessons, etc.) can be covered.
- medical expenses. Out-of-pocket medical expenses (deductibles, uncovered benefits, etc.) required to keep a child in good health may be included.
- Hobbies, activities and entertainment. There is more to life than good food, education and health. Remember to include expenses for summer camp, swimming lessons, and movies.
Although the chart represents the basic amount of maintenance owed by both parents’ children, some expenses are added to the basic maintenance obligation. These include:
- Monthly childcare costs
- Monthly health insurance costs (for children only)
- Monthly medical, dental and drug costs that are not covered by insurance