When a couple gets divorced, or in the case of parents who have never married, they often have to fight over how much child support will be required. Fortunately, Florida has many laws in place to ensure that child support payments are fair and reasonable.
Understanding Child Support Laws in Miami
The main purpose of child support is to make sure that the children are taken care of financially during the separation or divorce process. These expenses can include living, education, and medical costs. The amount of child support is usually based on income levels and other factors that can vary depending on the specifics of the individual case.
There are many different kinds of sanctions that a parent can face when he or she falls behind on court-ordered child support. If you are falling behind on your child support payments, or have been asked to pay more than you can afford, it is a good idea to seek legal help from an attorney as soon as possible.
A child support lawyer can help you establish your financial obligation, calculate how much support you should be paying or receiving, and enforce your rights to receive and/or pay support.
Getting the Right Amount of Support
In order to determine a proper child support amount, a family attorney will look at the child’s income level, and the parties’ combined household income. The judge will also take into account other factors, such as the child’s timesharing schedule, medical and educational needs, and any additional special expenses that are incurred by the parent with custody of the children.
The court will then use a formula to determine the amount of child support that should be ordered. In most cases, the formula will be based on the Florida Child Support Guidelines.
However, the court can deviate from the guidelines by up to five percent in some cases. In these instances, a judge must make a detailed finding as to why the deviation was necessary.
Enforcing Child Support Payments
Under Florida law, the court has the authority to garnish wages, levy on bank accounts and retirement accounts, and intercept tax refunds. Additionally, it can suspend a person’s license to drive, deny him or her a passport and attach liens against property for non-compliance with child support orders.
Unlike alimony (sometimes called spousal support), child support is not tax deductible to the paying party. In addition, the recipient of child support does not pay income taxes on the payments received.
If you are unsure of how to calculate your financial obligation, or you have questions about child support in Florida, contact a family and divorce lawyer in Miami today.
Child Support Guidelines in Miami
The guidelines are a standard set of rules that the court follows to determine the amount of support that is appropriate. These rules are based on the amount of income and other factors, and they are designed to ensure that the child support awards are fair and equitable.

In the best-case scenario, parents will collaborate to create a visitation and custody plan that suits the family’s requirements. But when disagreements do occur, a court order is required to settle them. You can get help navigating the court system from our
In contemporary discussions of family law, the issue of fathers’ rights has gained increasing attention as societies move toward recognizing the equal roles of both parents in child-rearing. Historically, custody laws often favored mothers, particularly in the aftermath of divorce or separation. This tendency was rooted in the “tender years doctrine,” a legal principle that presumed children, especially younger ones, were best cared for by their mothers. However, as gender roles have evolved and research on child development has advanced, the importance of recognizing fathers’ rights has become a critical aspect of achieving fairness and promoting the best interests of the child.