Child Support Lawyer in Tampa, Florida
Child Support cases have many different faces. You may be going through a divorce involving minor children, and child support will need to be calculated. You might be separating from a partner you were never married to, and he or she may have filed a paternity case, in which child support must be awarded. Perhaps you already pay or receive child support, and you are seeking to modify that amount downward or upward. Or maybe the other parent has failed to make his or her payments, and you want to enforce the court’s order on child support. Either way, child support is an essential element in cases involving children, and hiring a skilled child support lawyer is usually necessary.
How Does Child Support Work in Florida?
In Florida, both parents are required to provide their children with support that is proportionate to their income. Receiving child support is a right of the child, not the parent. Therefore, a parent cannot waive child support on behalf of his or her children. To establish child support, the court calculates the amount based upon Florida’s child support guidelines, which account for the number of children, the combined net monthly income of the parents, the cost of daycare/child-care, the health insurance being paid for the child, and the number of nights each parent spends with the children according to their time-sharing schedule/parenting plan.
Child Support Modifications
To modify child support, the parent seeking the modification must show a substantial, permanent, and unanticipated change in circumstances, and the court will reconsider the same factors. There are also several options available to enforce a child support order, including holding the defaulting parent in contempt, suspending his or her driver’s license, seizing his or her bank accounts, or placing a lien on his or her property. Interest may also accrue on past-due child support.
Raising children is a demanding job, and parents need all the financial help they can get when trying to raise their children. At the same time, child support should be calculated correctly so that both the parents and the children are treated fairly. At CG Family Law, P.A., we are prepared to advocate for your children’s needs by obtaining the child support award your child is lawfully entitled to. Contact us for a consultation.
