Child Support

Need Help With Your Child Support Case?

At C. Alvarez Law, our leading Orlando child support attorneys understand the importance of securing the best future for your child. We know how tough it can get, especially after a divorce. Thankfully, our dedicated lawyers are here to help you navigate complex legal procedures.

With a compassionate approach, we fight relentlessly for fair and just child support. Our priority is the well-being of our clients. Whether you’re seeking guidance for initial filings or modifications, our experienced team will stand by you. We’re here to help secure the future for your children and yourself.

Navigating Child Support Orders in Orlando

When you’re going through a divorce that involves children, it’s important to remember one thing: the children come first. It doesn’t matter what you or your soon-to-be ex-spouse think. The courts of Florida will prioritize the well-being of your children before the wants of either parent. This means that after the best-perceived child custody agreement is created, child support will be made to best suit the child next. The court does not know your children or your family, and the best way to convince them of what you know to be best is to have an experienced Orlando child support attorney by your side.

Child support is how the non-custodial parent will financially support their child regularly. If you’re not careful, as the custodial parent, you may not get enough financial support. If you’re not the custodial parent, the support you’re asked to pay may be outside your means. No matter which position you think you’ll be in, you should have an Orlando child support lawyer help you, and C. Alvarez Law has the experience you need.

How to Calculate Your Child Support Obligation in Florida?

Calculating child support doesn’t have to be complicated. At C. Alvarez Law, we’re here to guide you through the process. We know how to meet your child’s needs without added stress. Here’s a concise breakdown of how courts calculate child support in Florida.

1. Income Assessment 

The courts will consider both parents’ incomes using the Income Shares Model. This usually includes wages, bonuses, and even certain benefits.

2. Child-Related Expenses 

The courts will also consider child-related expenses such as childcare, health insurance, and medical expenses. This helps determine how much you spend on your child/children.

3. Overnight Stays

Believe it or not, overnight stays are a critical factor. The number of overnights each parent has with the child affects child support calculations.

4. Deviations

Sometimes, a divorce involves unusual circumstances like special medical needs. The courts will factor these in for adjustments.

5. Exceptions to Child Support Rules

Florida courts use the Florida Child Support Guidelines. Usually, the courts will divide contributions towards child support based on income. But there could be exceptions. Also, as circumstances change, child support can be modified. Consult a seasoned Orlando child support lawyer as soon as possible if you think you might be an exception.

What is Child Support For?

Child support is money that one parent gives to another to help support and care for their children until the children are 18 years old. The support can be for basic necessities, but also things that contribute to their children’s happiness. This money is only meant to support your children, which means there are specific expenses that the money is supposed to go toward.

These expenses include:

  • Food and clothing: Children must have food and clothes to survive, so they are considered necessities. While it could be argued that certain foods and clothes are not necessities (such as junk food and designer clothes), this would not be a wrongful use.
  • Housing costs: It is the responsibility of parents to provide a roof over their child’s head. This includes rent, mortgage payments, utility bills, and repairs or improvements to the home.
  • Medical care: Your child support in Orlando can help pay for co-pays and insurance premiums associated with doctor’s visits and prescription medications. It may also be used for medical treatments not covered by insurance. If a child is under the non-custodial parent’s health insurance, it does not count as child support.
  • Education expenses: This covers tuition fees as well as the cost of books, supplies, uniforms, or any other school-related costs.
  • Transportation costs: Parents can use child support funds to cover car payments, repairs, fuel costs, public transportation fares, and bike repairs or upgrades.
  • Daycare and childcare services: Parents can use child support money to pay for daycare services while they are at work or away from home.
  • Extracurricular activities: Children need more than academics in their lives; parents can use support money to cover the cost of sports teams or classes such as music lessons.

If you believe that your partner is using child support for something other than your children, or you’re being accused of misusing support funds, you need a competent child support attorney in Orlando. This is a serious accusation that requires proof. While this accusation is litigated, child support may still be enforced. If you change a child support agreement, and potentially the original child custody agreement as a whole.

Contact Our Orlando Family Law Attorneys for Help

Child support is critical to your financial future and your child’s well-being, whether you are paying or receiving it. In Florida, it is determined through the Income Shares Model. Its purpose is to prevent the child’s future from suffering financially because of your divorce.

Child support will be determined based on the parties’ combined net income and obligation as determined by the State of Florida.

The child support lawyers at C. Alvarez Law will guide you through this process and ensure that the amount is appropriate for you and your child. Contact us today to learn more and receive legal guidance in your divorce.