| Frequently Asked Questions |
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| 1. What are the Child Support Guidelines? How do they work? |
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| In Florida, the amount of child support to be paid is determined by the Child Support Guidelines found in Chapter 63 of the Florida Statutes. In determine the amount of child support to be paid, you must first determine the net monthly income of each party after deducting the proper amount for taxes and other allowable deductions such as health insurance premiums (excluding payments for coverage for minor children), mandatory union dues, court-ordered child support actually paid for other children, and alimony or spousal support payments. The guidelines support matrix then determine an amount of support based upon the combined net incomes and number of children of the parties. This amount is then apportioned between the parties based upon their pro rata shares of the total combine net monthly income. In addition to this base amount, the parties are each responsible for their pro rata share of daycare and health insurance costs. Finally, these amounts are adjusted to account for substantial or significant timesharing with either parent. |
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| 2. Can we agree to less child support than the Guidelines require? |
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| Typically the court is bound by the amount of child support determined by the guidelines. The Court can, in its discretion, deviate from the guidelines amount by up to five percent (5%). For any deviation greater than 5%, the court must justify any such deviation with written findings. Although there are circumstances that may justify a reduction in support from the guidelines, the Court will not approve a lesser amount simply because it is agreed to by the parties. |
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| 3. Do I owe child support if my (ex-) spouse and I share time equally with our child? |
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| Even with an equal timesharing schedule, child support may still be owed by one parent or the other, depending upon the parties’ incomes and the other factors that are accounted for in the child support guidelines. |
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| 4. My spouse is not allowing me timesharing with my child. Do I still have to pay child support? |
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| Yes. The obligations for child support and timesharing are wholly independent from each other. A parent may not withhold timesharing from the other simply because the other parent is not paying support. Likewise, a parent cannot withhold support simply because they are being denied the right to timesharing with the child. |
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| 5. Does child support automatically end when my child turns 18? |
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| Florida Statute § 61.13 now provides that any child support order entered after October 1, 2010 shall provide for the child support to terminate upon the child's 18th birthday. For child support orders entered prior to October 1, 2010, support does not automatically terminate and requires the entry of a new court order to terminate support payments. |
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| 6. What can happen if I can’t pay my support? |
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| During the time that you are unable to pay support, your support obligation continues to accrue. This is money that still must be paid to the other party at some point in the future. If the court finds that you truly were unable to pay the support due to circumstances beyond your control, the court will determine the amount that you owe and may increase future support payments to cover the past-due amount. If the court finds that you had the ability to pay the support and simply chose not to, the court may hold you in contempt. In addition to repayment of the past-due amount, you may face anyone of a variety of sanctions and may also be responsible for the other party's attorney's fees. |
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| 7. I owe a lot in unpaid child support. Can this be discharged in bankruptcy? |
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| No. Unpaid child support is not dischargeable in bankruptcy. |
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| 8. Does child support include payment for college expenses? |
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No. Florida's child support guidelines do not ordinarily cover payment for college related expenses after age 18 (or 19 in some cases). However, if you have previously entered into a marital settlement agreement that provides for the payment of college related expenses, such an agreement is usually not subject to modification.
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| 9. Can I deduct child support payments from my taxes? |
| No. Unlike alimony (which can, under some circumstances, be deductible), amounts paid as child support cannot be deducted from the payor’s income for tax purposes. |
