Florida child support guidelines

How does Florida calculate child support?

Florida uses income shares: each parent pays a share of one combined support amount. The guideline combines both parents’ monthly net income and applies the schedule for the number of children. The obligation is apportioned between the parents, with adjustments for expenses and parenting time (F.S. 61.30).

Gross income includes wages, overtime, bonuses, business income, pensions, and specified benefits. Allowed deductions include income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes or self-employment tax, mandatory union dues and retirement payments, and health insurance excluding the child’s coverage. Court-ordered support for other children actually paid and qualifying court-ordered spousal support are also deductible (F.S. 61.30).

The schedule covers combined net income from $800 to $10,000 a month for one through six children (F.S. 61.30). Above $10,000, add a percentage of the excess income to the top schedule amount: 5.0% for one child, 7.5% for two, 9.5% for three, 11.0% for four, 12.0% for five, or 12.5% for six (F.S. 61.30). Below the schedule, support is determined case by case under the low-income rule, rather than by a single fixed minimum (F.S. 61.30). The current edition’s effective date is being verified.

How does parenting time change support?

Florida’s shared-time adjustment starts at 73 overnights a year, or 20% of annual overnights (F.S. 61.30). Each parent’s apportioned basic obligation, excluding child care and health insurance, is multiplied by 1.5 (F.S. 61.30). The formula then cross-credits the obligations using the overnight percentages; the difference is the transfer amount before expense adjustments.

Child care and health insurance are then credited or debited to determine the amount exchanged (F.S. 61.30). Equal parenting time does not automatically eliminate support because incomes and expense payments can differ. Below 20% of overnights, parenting time that reduces the other parent’s expenses may still support a deviation (F.S. 61.30). The parenting time calculator can help organize the overnight count.

What else changes the amount?

The schedule amount is only the starting point. F.S. 61.30 also addresses child-related costs, other support obligations, low income, and reasons a court may depart from the guideline.

• Child care: Eligible costs for employment, job search, or education aimed at employment are added. Prepaid costs are credited to the parent who paid them.
• Health costs: Ordered health insurance and noncovered medical, dental, and prescription expenses are added unless separately allocated by percentage. Prepaid costs receive a credit.
• Other children: Court-ordered support actually paid is deductible. Later-born or adopted children do not automatically reduce an existing award; the statute limits their consideration to upward-modification proceedings.
• Low income: Below the schedule, payment is the lesser of the paying parent’s actual share or 90% of the difference between that parent’s monthly net income and the current poverty guideline for a single individual (F.S. 61.30).
• Deviations: Listed factors include extraordinary expenses, disability-related needs, seasonal income, available assets, and tax impacts. A departure greater than 5% requires written findings explaining why the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate (F.S. 61.30).

When does support end or change?

The Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program says Florida orders usually stop at age 18. Support may continue for a child still in high school who will graduate before turning 19, a child with a disability, or under other terms of the order. An order from another state may follow different ending rules.

For a guideline-based substantial change, the difference from the existing order must be at least 15% or $50 a month, whichever is greater (F.S. 61.30). For qualifying department reviews, a separate rule requires the department to seek modification when the difference is at least 10% and not less than $25, without proof of changed circumstances (F.S. 61.30).

The Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program is the state resource for an official support determination or review. It does not publish an official calculator; its website directs parents to search online. A guideline estimate is not an approved order.