Child Support in Florida

In Florida, both parents are responsible for ensuring that their child or children are taken care of. Given that, the State can require both parents to pay child support, depending on the circumstances and who has primary custody of the child.

The court that orders the child support will often look at the paying party’s financial circumstances, the financial health of the primary care giver, and the child or children’s specific needs.

Child Support Lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Raising a child can be a very expensive task. Moreover, raising a child by oneself or without additional support can be financial devastating. If you or someone you know in the Greater Miami-Metropolitan area in Miami, East Naples, West Palm Beach, or Fort Lauderdale, Florida, needs legal assistance obtaining financial support from a co-parent, then contact the experienced family law attorneys atBacchus Law Firm.

Our office understands the Florida court system regarding child support. We empathize with parents who are struggling to meet the financial needs of child rearing, and we offer comprehensive legal counsel to those families seeking guidance on obtaining or modifying child support.

Our office is located on

The attorneys at Bacchus Law Firm will walk with you every step of the way from requesting a child support modification to the court hearing for a support determination. Our attorneys will work as a team to help clients from Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Hendry County, Palm Beach County, and Collier County, Florida, to get the child support they need and deserve.

Broward County Child Support Information Center

Calculating Child Support and Expenses

As children grow older, the cost of their care change based on their needs constantly changing, in addition to the parent’s life relative to work and general family balancing. Whether parents are married, unmarried, or divorced, parents are held responsible for child support. Some common expenses that child support covers includes the following:

Food
Clothing
Daycare or child care
Transportation
Education
Medical care
Other expenses

How support for these expenses is calculated in Florida, is based on a number of factors. The most common factors that determine child support payments include the following:

Ability of parents to pay
Needs of the children
Financial status of each parent
Age of the child or children
Number of children
Standard of living for each parent
Station of life for each parent

These factors are intended to create a child support package that will be fair and reasonable for the parents that have to pay and those that require assistance. If parents already have a custody agreement determined by the court and they want to change that agreement, then the process is a little different.

Modification of a Child Support Agreement

Modifying a child support agreement in Florida can be considered rather difficult, even more so that creating one in the first place. While it is easy to understand that a parent’s circumstances can easily change going from bad to worse or good to best in a very short time.

Florida law uses the substantial change in circumstances test to determine whether it will modify a child support agreement. The party requested the modification must show that he or she has had a substantial change that was unplanned and unexpected in their life that requires a modification in a child support agreement.

A child support payment can be increased or decreased based on the changed circumstances of either party. Some common situations that may be considered “substantial,” can include:

Loss of job
Change in income
Change in health
Change in the needs of the child

Extending Florida Child Support

Generally, under Florida law child support ends once the child or children reach age eighteen (18). However, under specific circumstances outlined in Florida Statute § 743.07(2), child support requirements may be extended past 18 if the child is still in high school or based on the mental or physical capacity of the child.

A court may order child support past age 18 if a child has a mental or physical incapacity and is unable to support him or herself. However, the incapacity must have started before the child reached the age of 18.

Additionally, if a child is still in high school by the time he or she reaches 18 years old, a court may extend child support. In Florida, such support may be extended until graduation or until the child reaches age 19 subject to additional requirements.

Additional Resources

Florida Statutes ǀ Child Support- Visit Online Sunshine, the Florida Legislature’s website which contains the full statutory text on Florida child support requirements and modifications.

Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Services- Visit the Florida Department of Revenue for more information on child support payments and to access information, including child support payment center, child health insurance, child support enforcement, and tax credits, on the Florida Department of Revenue website.

West Palm Beach Office Location
881 S. Congress Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406-4118
Phone: (800) 622-5437

Palm Beach County Unified Family Court- If you are in West Palm Beach, visit the Palm Beach County Family Court website for more information on child support in Florida. The site has useful information on online child support payments and child support enforcement.

West Palm Beach (Main) Courthouse
205 N. Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: (561) 355-2996

Find a Child Support Attorney in Broward County, FL

If you or someone you know is in need of a family law attorney to obtain child support or to request a modification in a child support agreement, then contact the experienced family law attorneys of Bacchus Law Firm.

Our office takes cases in Broward County, Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade County, Collier County, and Hendry County, Florida, and we provide one-on-one counsel to families of all shapes and sizes who need support in Florida.

We are dedicated and zealous family lawyers who will take the time to give you personalized legal services and walk with you step by step.

Call (954) 500-5555 now to schedule a no obligations consultation with our family lawyer.

This article was last updated on Monday, June 19, 2017.

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401 E Las Olas Blvd #1400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301