Family Law Explained
What Our Clients Say
Client Resources
Choose Your Fate: Seven Courtless Divorce Options
Custody & Visitation
Alimony & Spousal Support
Popular Articles
Artificial Intelligence and Collaborative Divorce
ChatGPT is an AI Chatbot developed by Open AI. The chatbot has a language-based model that was originally designed for customer service, fine-tuned by the developer for human interaction in a conversational manner.
Growing Apart
Overheard among a group of middle school boys drinking mochas in a coffeehouse, as one tastes another’s coffee: “That is so ridiculously sweet! That’s like something a five-year-old would make!”
Which Way?
There are many lessons to be gleaned by an adult reading Alice in Wonderland. One especially hit home for me.
Child Support
Child Support in Tampa
Child support is court-ordered payments to support one’s minor child(ren). Child support is the child’s right, not the right of the parents. Therefore, judges view child support as something that is not open to negotiation in a divorce. In most situations, the amount is determined by the Florida child support guidelines. However, if a parent is paying for other expenses like travel or extra-curricular activities, a judge may allow a deviation from the guideline amount. In Florida, child support is ordered until a child turns 18 and graduates from high school. But if a child has special needs, child support may be extended beyond the age of 18. Once a child reaches 18, the child support amount is reduced to reflect the appropriate amount for the remaining children. If a party fails to pay court-ordered child support, his/her license may be suspended, among other sanctions.
Florida Child Support Lawyers
FAQs for Child Support
Child support is determined based on the Florida child support guidelines. Information regarding both parties’ monthly net incomes, contributions to daycare and the children’s health insurance, and the amount of overnights each parent has per year is entered onto a worksheet to compute the appropriate amount.
If you and your spouse make such an agreement, the court will closely review the matter to be certain that your agreement will adequately meet the needs of the child. Most likely, the judge will order that child support be pursuant to the statute, but there are certain circumstances when a judge orders otherwise if a spouse is contributing financially in some other way.
No. Child support and child custody are two separate issues. It is in the best interest of children to have a relationship with both parents. If your spouse is not paying child support, you will need to take him/her to court to resolve the matter.
No. Child custody and child support are two separate issues. Child support is the right of the child. If your spouse is denying you time with your children, you will need to take him/her to court to resolve the matter.
