How Is Child Support Determined in Florida?

How is child support determined in Florida?

Three things set it: both parents' net incomes, the number of children and how many overnights each parent has. The court adds the two net incomes, finds the support amount for that total in the state schedule, and splits it by each parent's share of income. Child care and health insurance costs are then added.

This is the child support guidelines formula in § 61.30, Florida Statutes (2026 text, last amended in 2023, checked as of October 2026). The judge must start from this figure. It is called "presumptively correct," meaning the court uses it unless there is a good reason not to.

What are the steps in Florida's child support formula?

The math follows the same order in every case. Your income figures come from the financial affidavit, a sworn form listing what you earn, own and owe.

1. Find each parent's gross income. This includes wages, bonuses, business income, Social Security benefits and similar money.
2. Subtract allowed deductions to get net income. These include income taxes, Social Security and Medicare tax, mandatory union dues, mandatory retirement payments, health insurance and support already paid under another court order.
3. Add both net incomes together for a combined net income.
4. Look up the schedule amount for that combined income and your number of children.
5. Split that amount by each parent's percentage of the combined income.
6. Add child care costs and health insurance for the children, also split by income share.

You can see the schedule in the statute itself.

• Schedule range: $800 to $10,000 of combined net income per month
• One child at $800 combined: $190 per month
• One child at $10,000 combined: $1,437 per month
• Above $10,000 for one child: $1,437 plus 5% of the income over $10,000 (7.5% for two children)

Tip: Child support uses net income, not your paycheck before taxes. Gather recent pay stubs and your last tax return before you fill out the financial affidavit.

Does time-sharing change the amount of child support?

Yes, if each parent has the children for at least 20% of overnights. That is about 73 nights a year. Time-sharing is Florida's term for the schedule of when the children stay with each parent.

When both parents meet that 20% mark, the court multiplies the schedule amount by 1.5. It then divides the cost by each parent's share of overnights and offsets the two amounts. The parent with the larger obligation pays the difference. This often lowers the payment for a parent with a lot of overnights.

Can the judge order more or less than the guidelines?

Sometimes. Under § 61.30, a judge may order an amount up to 5% above or below the guideline figure without explaining why. A bigger change needs written findings that the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate.

A few other rules can shift the result:

• Imputed income: If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court can count income they could earn, based on work history and local pay.
• Very low income: If combined income is below the schedule, the court can still order a small amount to set the habit of paying.
• Special needs: Extra medical, educational or other costs can justify a change.

Warning: Quitting a job or taking a lower-paying one right before a divorce rarely helps. The court can treat you as earning what you could earn.

If your income is complex, such as self-employment or large bonuses, a family law attorney can check the numbers. You can read more about the process in our Divorce and Separation guides.