Child Support Lawyer

How is Child Support Determined?

In order to establish consistency and predictability in the amount of child support awards, the federal government mandates child support guidelines to be used by the states. The particular guidelines are different in each state.

Income

Most of the guidelines take into consideration the income of both parents. The percentage of the couple's combined income that each parent contributes helps determine the amount they will be obligated to pay in child support. Some states will base their formula on gross income, while others will use net income.

Deductions

If a parent is already paying child support or alimony from a previous situation, they will generally be allowed to deduct that amount from their income. Typically, there are two requirements to qualify for this deduction: the support payments must be court-ordered (not voluntary) and the parent must actually be making the payments. A parent is not allowed to make deductions from his or her income for the support of a subsequent spouse or children.

Looking for a child custody lawyer in Miami and South Florida can be a challenging effort; especially if the situation requires emergency assistance. Our attorney has been practicing in South Florida for 30 years. Let our experience and knowledge help you. We are dedicated to helping mothers and fathers deal with child custody issues.

Schedule an appointment right now for a consultation so you can find out your legal rights.

Child support reduction and support modification : It is not unusual that changes in circumstances occur in the parents' lives and this allows the parents to file motions to the court requesting child support modifications. These changes normally either increase or decrease the amount of support due and received by the primary parent/guardian. Some of these reasons include, but are not limited to; changes in childcare expenses, medical or dental expenses for the child that are not covered by insurance, and voluntary unemployment or underemployment of the parent paying support.

• Alimony modification : Just like with Child support, Alimony modifications can be made as circumstances change in the lives of the divorced party.
• Modification of child custody and visitation rights : Modifications to child custody and time-sharing can all be handled from legal counsel with us. We provide counsel based on years of experience and a deep knowledge of the Florida Law.