Florida Child Support
Florida law requires that each parent support their child financially. Many times the child lives primarily with one parent, who supports the child by providing for his or her needs, and the other parent provides financial support to help meet the child's needs. In other situations each parent shares substantial time with the child. In these instances of shared time, child support is based on a formula that considers each parent’s income, the actual number of days each parent spends with the child, and certain expenses paid by each parent. The focus of Florida’s child support guidelines is on expenses such as health care, health insurance, and child care. Here at The Thorpe Law Firm, P.A., we help our clients who are parents ensure the proper amount of child support is awarded.
For clients already paying child support, we can help make sure that as much as possible of the support being paid goes to benefit your child and not the ex-spouse. We will determine the actual amount of income at issue and gather information about your child's needs. Our goal as your advocate is to present an accurate picture of the appropriate amount of child support in your particular case.
After child support has been determined, we can seek to modify the amount when circumstances change. For example, a petition can be filed for modifications that increase or decrease the child support obligation. Circumstances that might justify a modification include where a client loses your job, faces a salary change, lose their home, or there is a significant change in the child's needs. For example, a modification may be warranted if expenses such as medical bills or child care change.
If you have an issue involving the enforcement of a child support award, The Thorpe Law Firm, P.A., can also assist you. Florida law provides potentially severe penalties for not paying child support. We can help protect your rights.
