Florida Child Support Laws: It is vital for all families that they can sort out their family issues. Often times, these involve children – both timesharing (custody) and child support.  During this unprecedented time of CoVid-19, child support concerns are coming from both sides.  Do I still have to pay child support?  Can I still receive child support?  If you cannot resolve the issue on your own, then court or child support mediation may be necessary to enforce Florida Child Support.

For child support to be a legally enforceable obligation, a court must order the support (a Florida Child Support Order). Moreover, child support can be addressed through a few different legal proceedings.  In Florida, it can be through a divorce proceeding if the parents are married. If the parents of a minor child were not in marriage at the time of the child’s birth, paternity must be legally established for the court to award child support.

Florida Establishing Paternity (Paternity case): 

• Acknowledgement of paternity – both parents sign a legal document confirming paternity
• Administrative order based on genetic testing – the father voluntarily takes a DNA and the test proves he is the father
• Court order – orders a potential father to take a DNA test and the test proves he is the father
• Legitimization – the mother and natural father continue as marriage with each other after the child is born and update the birth record through the Florida Office of vital statistics
• And more.  It is important to read the statute in full to understand Florida Paternity Laws.

Guideline factors involved in calculating Florida child support obligations:-

• The income of both the parents
• Total income available each month for the child’s benefit
• Percentage of total income each parent contributes
• Cost of child care each month
• Cost of health insurance
• Number of overnights the child spends with each parent

Florida child support laws are generally the same in Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County are the same as is the rest of Florida as Florida law governs the issue. ; to see how we can protect your rights and those of your children during the divorce process.