Do you have questions about child support in Windermere, FL? Speak with a Windermere child support lawyer at Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers—call today at (407) 420-2311 for a confidential consultation and a simple plan that protects your child and your rights.
Child support can feel confusing, especially when money is tight or plans change. With steady guidance, you can move forward with confidence and put your child’s needs first.
How Can Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers Help With Child Support in Windermere?
Child support cases in Windermere, Florida, move quickly and require accurate paperwork. At Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers, our team explains your rights in plain language, sets goals with you, and maps every step so there are no surprises. We focus on correct numbers, a parenting schedule that fits real life, and orders you can follow day to day.
Our Windermere family lawyers can help guide you by:
- Gathering pay stubs, tax returns, insurance costs, and complete guideline worksheets
- Building a clear overnight calendar that matches your actual schedule
- Bringing in neutral professionals when income or expenses are disputed
- Drafting, reviewing, and refining proposed orders in plain English
- Negotiating fair terms and, if needed, presenting concise evidence in court
These steps keep your case organized and centered on your child’s best interests. Contact us today for an initial case evaluation with a Windermere child support attorney.
Florida Child Support Basics
Florida law says both parents must support their child, even if they do not live together. Courts start with statewide guidelines, then add items like health insurance, childcare, and uncovered medical costs. The goal is a steady plan that covers everyday needs—housing, food, school supplies, and healthcare—so kids do well in both homes.
Most orders use income withholding to keep payments regular. Orders also say how parents split uninsured medical bills and when to exchange financial information again. Clear rules reduce stress and future conflict.
How Florida Calculates Child Support
Florida uses a worksheet that looks at each parent’s income, the number of children, health insurance premiums for the child, necessary work-related childcare, and overnights in the parenting plan. The worksheet creates a presumptive amount that the judge will use unless there is a strong reason to change it.
Courts may deviate by more than 5% if the guideline number would be unfair, such as when a child has special medical needs or parents have unusually high or low incomes. Accurate records make the math smoother and the order more durable.
Parenting Time and Overnights
In Florida, overnights affect child support because both homes share daily costs. If a child spends at least 20% of nights per year with the other parent, the calculation may adjust. A realistic schedule—not just a number on paper—supports your child’s routine and helps avoid conflict.
Keep a simple log of actual overnights, school calendars, and messages confirming swaps. Clear proof helps if you need a change later.
Modifying a Child Support Order
Child support can change when life changes. Florida allows a modification when there is a substantial, permanent, and involuntary shift, like a job loss, a big raise, new medical costs, or a major change in parenting time. File quickly; the court usually changes support from the date you file, not the date life changed.
The following are reasons that support could be modified:
- Job changes: layoffs, hour cuts, or promotions
- Health needs: new therapy, prescriptions, or insurance changes
- Schedule shifts: more or fewer overnights than before
- Child expenses: new childcare, tutoring, or activities
Prompt action and good records protect you from arrears and keep support realistic.
Enforcement if Payments Stop
If payments fall behind, Florida offers tools to enforce an order. The court can garnish wages, suspend licenses, intercept tax refunds, place liens, or hold a parent in contempt for willful nonpayment.
If you cannot pay, do not stop—file for a modification and document the issue. Enforcement should be firm but focused on steady support for your child rather than punishment.
When Child Support Ends
Most Florida orders end at age 18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school and expected to graduate. Some orders last longer for children with special needs. Do not stop paying early; only the court can change or end an order.
If graduation dates or circumstances change, ask about a review well before the expected end date.
Paternity and Unmarried Parents
For unmarried parents, paternity must be established before the court can issue support or create a parenting plan. Parents can sign a voluntary acknowledgment, or the court can order DNA testing. Once paternity is established, the court can address support, parental responsibility, and time-sharing in the same case.
Bring birth records, any acknowledgment papers, and test results to your consultation so the process moves faster.
What to Bring to Your Consultation
Come prepared so we can start strong. Bring recent pay stubs, last two years of tax returns, health insurance costs, childcare invoices, a list of your child’s monthly expenses, and your parenting-time records.
In addition, it is helpful to bring the following:
- Income documents and benefits information
- Insurance premiums and medical bills for the child
- Childcare, tutoring, or therapy receipts
- Calendar of overnights and school schedules
- Any prior orders or agreements
Having these items helps us give you clear next steps and a realistic timeline.
Contact Our Windermere Child Support Lawyers Today for an Initial Consultation
Child support works best when the math is correct, the schedule fits real life, and expectations are clear. At Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers, our Windermere child support attorneys will explain your options, apply Florida’s guidelines, and pursue an order that supports your child and simplifies daily life.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation.