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Are You Entitled to Child Support in Orlando, Florida?

If you are getting a divorce, or establishing paternity and custody, and wondering whether you are entitled to Orlando child support; here are some pointers to help you with the issue.

1.  First, you need to know how many overnights visitations that each parent will have the child(ren).
2.  Next, you need to know the monthly net income of each parent.
3.  Third you need to know which parent pays for the child(ren)’s health insurance; and you need to know exactly how much is paid per month for just the Child(ren).  If you have a family plan from your employer, your Human Resource (HR) person should be able to tell the cost of just the child(ren)’s healthcare.
4. Lastly you need to know the monthly daycare costs for the child(ren).

With that information, you should be able to calculate a child support amount. In Florida, the Child Support Guidelines worksheet is used to calculate child support by inputting the above-mentioned information.

Child support in Florida continues until the child turns 18, or is in high school with the reasonable expectation of graduation prior to 19 years of age, or when the child emancipates. You must include that language “or in high school with the reasonable expectation of graduation prior to 19 years of age” in order to obtain child support after the child turns 18 years of age.

The paying parent is not obligated to pay the child(ren)’s education regardless of how much money he/she earns. However, you can get the other parent to pay for the college, or a portion of the college, if he/she agrees to do that in a settlement agreement. However, the Florida court cannot order a parent to pay for college.

Also, regarding child support, you want to make sure that all uncovered medicals such as ocular, dental orthodontic, copays, prescription medications, counseling, psychological or psychiatric is shared per the parent’s child support guidelines pro rata share.

You may also ask that the parent paying child support obtain a life insurance policy with you as the irrevocable beneficiary for the child in order to cover the child support in the event that parent was to die.

You can also request that you are allowed to claim the child on your taxes.

For more information on Child Support in Orlando, you can read Florida Statute 61.30 which is the Child Support Statute in Florida.

This article is for information only; and does not form an attorney client privilege. If you have more questions regarding child support, you may call Ann Marie Gilden, Esquire at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P. A. at (407) 732-7620 to set an initial consultation.

Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, Esquire of Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P. A. is AV Rated Attorney by Martindale Hubbell and a Legal Elite Attorney with 29 years of experience serving the Seminole, Orange, Volusia and Lake County area.