If you’ve ever gone through a divorce with children, it’s quite likely that you or your ex-spouse have had to pay child support as a result of a court order. However, if you’re curious about how much you have to pay for child support, the answer is contingent on a few different variables. 

What Variables Are Considered for Child Support Amounts?

In the state of Florida several variables are taken into account. Per Florida statute 61.30, the individual required to pay child support will have their monthly income assessed, along with the amount of children that they are a parent of. This actual child support amount is finalized by the Florida family courts. 

When determining the amount of child support required by each parent, the courts of Florida consider:

• The number of children that will need child support 
• The net monthly income of each parent 
• The amount of childcare costs per month. Childcare costs can include daycare, babysitting, before and after school programs
• Health, dental and vision insurance contributions of each parent
• Additional support obligations that can be taken into consideration include (but are not limited to),disability benefits, workers compensation benefits, pension retirement or annuities, social security benefits and spousal support income from a prior marriage

A Florida child support attorney has a helpful calculator tool that can assist in calculating the amount of child support required for your case. Follow the prompt of the calculator and this calculator will provide a general range of the amount owed in your unique circumstance. Please keep in mind that this calculator is not exact and may be adjusted by the courts to account for several extenuating variables. 

In addition to the considerations outlined above, the Florida court system can take into account extenuating circumstances including special needs of the child, or high costs associated with psychological, dental, medical or educational expenses. The courts may also consider the age of the child, older children tend to carry greater needs opposed to children in their earlier years, or the particular time sharing or parenting plan. Since many of these variables are unique to each case, the amount and considerations can change depending on the specific facts, income and assets of each child support case.  

What Percentage of My Income Will Go Towards Child Support?

During the divorce proceedings, the percentage amount required for child support varies depending on the income and financial assets of both parents. Generally speaking, the amount of child support increases with the higher number of children and combined net income of both parents. The child support table on the Florida legislative website can be a helpful tool to identify an approximate amount of child support obligations. Based off the information provided in the child support table, ranges of the net monthly income can vary between 14% and 57% of the combined monthly net income. This will depend mostly on the income of both parents and the amount of minor children. Once the child turns eighteen years old, child support is no longer required per the Office of Child Support Enforcement.

If you are going through a contested divorce with children, it is best to hire an experienced divorce attorney well versed in family law and child support cases.