Jacksonville Divorce Attorney Blog
Are you a Florida resident struggling to pay child support? Are you paying too much child support? Are you now making less money than you made when the child support was ordered? Have you lost a job due to no fault of your own? Do you now pay court ordered child support for a child from a separate relationship? If so, you may qualify for a reduction in your child support. A Florida child support lawyer can assist you today with seeking a modification of your current child support order. The amount of monthly child support that each child is entitled to receive is pre-determined by Florida law. The courts determine the correct amount of child support by combining the income of both parents for a total amount of monthly net income. Based on the total amount of income from both sides, a pre-determined amount of child support is awarded for the care of a child.
How Is Child Support Calculated?
In Florida, the amount of child support each parent must pay is predetermined by law. The Florida Child Support Guidelines determine how much child support should be awarded based on the total monthly net income of both parents. For example, if parent 1 makes $2500 a month and parent 2 makes $3500 a month in net income then the combined amount of net income is $6000. Florida child support guidelines state that for a combined net income of $6,000, the amount of child support to be paid for one child should be $1,121.00. The monthly pre-determined child support amount may be offset by the costs of health insurance being paid for the minor child, the cost of daycare /childcare / before-after school care/fees, and timesharing or the total number of overnights each parent has with the child. Once these amounts are calculated in, the final child support amount is determined. If the amount you are paying is too much, let your Jacksonville child support lawyer help you reduce your child support by seeking a modification of your current child support order.
How Can I Get My Child Support Reduced?
Under Florida law, child support is always modifiable. To qualify for a modification of your child support order and possibly get a reduction in child support, you must prove that there has been a substantial change in your circumstances. A few examples of substantial changes in circumstances include decreases or increases of income for either parent, court ordered child support for children from other relationships, an increase or decrease in the number of overnight visits the child has with each parent, or involuntary loss of a job. So long as the new child support amount will be changing by $50 or 15% (whichever is greater), you can seek a new child support order. If you are unsure as to whether or not your set of circumstances will qualify, a Jacksonville child support enforcement attorney can review your case.
Talk to a Jacksonville Child Support Attorney
If you need help with child support or want to re-evaluate or contest a child support order, contact a Jacksonville Child Support Lawyer online or call us at 904-685-1200 to speak with one of our Jacksonville Family Lawyers.