Florida Child Support Worksheet

A Florida child support worksheet is an important legal document. In a divorce action where one party is requesting child support, it must be filled out and filed with the Court. If you happen to know the other party's income, this document is attached to the financial affidavit. If not, then it can be completed after the other person has completed their financial affidavit and served a copy on you.

Child Support Hearing

The Florida child support worksheet must be filled out in either black ink or typed. Once it has been completed, the original is filed with the Court Clerk's office in the jurisdiction where the divorce action will be heard. As with all legal documents, you should keep a copy for your records. Once the form has been filed with the Court, a copy of it should be either hand delivered or mailed to the other party.

The state of Florida has developed child support guidelines to be used by divorcing couples with children. They are based on the number of children and the combined income of both parents. People who are getting a divorce in Florida should ensure that the child support guidelines they are using is the most recent version so that the figures are correct.

All of the child support guidelines used in Florida are based on monthly income. If one or both parents are paid more often than once a month, they must convert their weekly, biweekly, or semimonthly pay to monthly to fill out the form properly.

Either parent can request that the Court award an amount other than what the Florida child support guidelines indicate. If they choose to do so, they need to file a Motion to Deviate from Child Support Guidelines. A judge will need to hear submissions and make a decision about whether to award the amount requested.

The Florida child support worksheet contains the following information:

• Current Net Monthly Income
• Basic Monthly Obligation (Child Support)
• Percent of Financial Responsibility
• Share of Basic Monthly Obligation

• 75 Percent of Child Care Costs
• Health Insurance Costs (Children)
• Nonrecovered Medical, Dental and Prescription Medical Costs (Children)
• Child Care and Health Costs
• Other Support Payments

The actual amount of child support payable by each parent is determined partly by the number of nights the child stays with each parent through the month. As the parent works through the calculations on the worksheet, they arrive at a figure that the non-custodial parent should be paying for child support.

Either parent can request that the Court impose a different amount for child support than what the worksheet indicates. In the case of a parent asking for increased child support, he or she would have to demonstrate financial need. The parent who is asking for child support payments to be reduced would have to support the motion by demonstrating lack of means to pay the amount as set out on the form.

The Florida child support worksheet is designed to keep the amount of child support fair by using set guidelines. When determining the amount of support to be paid, the Court will attempt to ensure that the children have the same standard of living as before the split. In certain situations, the amount set out in the guidelines may not provide adequate support, such as in the case of a child with special needs due to a physical, intellectual or emotional disability.

In those situations, a hearing will determine the appropriate level of child support for Florida residents. Parents can look at the guidelines to get an idea of what level of support they are obligated to provide for their children.

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