Are you dealing with a dispute over child support in Orlando, Florida? At the Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers, we understand how important fair and accurate child support orders are for both parents and children. Call our office today at (407) 420-2311 to schedule your free case evaluation with an experienced Orlando child support lawyer.
Child support cases often involve complex financial questions, changing life circumstances, and strong emotions. Whether you are seeking to establish support, modify an existing order, or enforce unpaid child support payments, having knowledgeable legal guidance can help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Why Choose The Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton for Help With a Child Support Issue?
Child support matters can quickly become stressful and confusing, especially when disagreements arise over income, payment amounts, or enforcement. The Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton brings 15 years of combined experience to family law cases, helping parents understand their rights and responsibilities under Florida law.
Our Orlando divorce attorney understands that every family’s financial situation is different. Whether you are seeking to establish child support, modify an existing order, or enforce unpaid support, we take the time to review your circumstances carefully and explain your options clearly. We focus on building practical strategies that protect your child’s well-being while also safeguarding your financial stability.
Clients choose our firm because we provide attentive service, straightforward guidance, and consistent communication throughout the process. Contact our Orlando family law attorneys today to schedule your free case evaluation and learn how we can assist with your child support matter.
How Can a Child Support Attorney Help?
When you ask for our help with your child support case, you’ll be able to rely on us to:
- Gather necessary documentation to support your efforts to secure/enforce/modify a child support order
- Hire expert witnesses and specialists to consult and collaborate on your case and, if necessary, testify on your behalf during a hearing
- Utilize alternative dispute resolution strategies, including mediation and arbitration, to encourage amicable, cost-effective resolutions
- Represent you and your child’s best interests during hearings and at trial, if necessary
There’s nothing more important than your children. Our Orlando child support attorneys are here to help you secure the benefits necessary to meet their needs.
What is Child Support?
In Florida, both of a child’s parents are expected to help care for the child’s emotional and financial needs. In fact, the state holds that it’s in the child’s best interests to receive emotional and financial support from both parents. This can be easy to achieve when parents are married, and a family lives together. Things can get more challenging when parents split up or aren’t together in the first place.
When parents get divorced or are unmarried, it can be necessary for the custodial parent to ask a family law court to require the non-custodial parent to pay support to ensure that the child’s needs are met.
Child support is a legal obligation to provide financial support for a child’s health, education, welfare, and safety.
In Florida, child support requirements must be settled before a divorce can be finalized. This includes which parent will be required to pay support and how much they’ll be expected to pay each month. Contrary to popular belief, child support payments are paid exclusively for the benefit of the children, not the custodial parent.
How is Child Support Calculated?
Child support can be negotiated privately by parents or determined by a family law court.
Florida courts follow the Child Support Guidelines in Section 61.30 of the Florida Statutes when calculating support. The primary consideration is the net income of both parents.
A parent’s net income is calculated by taking their gross income–which can include wages, interest, pension and retirement payments, income from trusts and estates, social security, workers’ compensation, bonuses, and commissions–and deducting:
- Tax obligations
- Insurance payments
- Required union dues
- Mandatory retirement contributions
- Spousal support
- Court-ordered support for other children
The net income of both parents is combined, and that figure is used to calculate the minimum support payment, which will depend on the number of children who require support. Other factors can influence–and in most cases increase–support obligations.
These include:
- Child care costs
- The children’s health insurance and medical costs
- How much time each parent spends with the children
Once the support requirement is calculated, each parent’s share of the obligation is determined by dividing their net income by the combined net income. The more time a child spends with a parent, the less that parent is expected to pay in additional financial support. Overnight visitation is particularly important when child support obligations are calculated.
Can Child Support Be Modified?
Yes, child support orders can be modified. However, there must be a legitimate reason to ask a court to change an existing order for child support.
Pursuant to Florida state family law, a modification of a child support order can only be approved if there is a “substantial change of circumstances.”
This might include:
- A decrease in the non-custodial parent’s income
- An increase in the custodial parent’s income
- A parent’s cost of living increase
- Job loss
- Loss of health insurance
- A parent or child’s medical emergency
- Bankruptcy
- Significant changes in parenting time
- Disability
- Emancipation of a child
Adverse changes in income or employment must be involuntary. For instance, a parent who is required to pay child support cannot quit their job or take a pay decrease at work and then expect to be able to pay less in child support.
Any requests to modify child support must be supported by compelling evidence. Whether you’re seeking an increase or reduction in payments for your children, our family law attorneys will work with you hand-in-hand to gather the documentation and testimony needed to demonstrate that a significant change in circumstances has occurred that warrants your request for modification.
How Can Paternity Affect Child Support?
A parent is only required to pay child support for biological or adoptive children. If a child is born to unmarried parents, it might be necessary to prove a father’s paternity before he will be required to support the child financially.
In Florida, paternity can be established voluntarily. However, when child support obligations are front and center, an alleged father might not voluntarily agree to take a paternity test. In these situations, a lawsuit can be filed by the mother or the Florida Department of Revenue.
When a paternity lawsuit is filed, the court will require an alleged father to take a DNA test to either confirm or disprove that they are the biological father of the child(ren) in question. If paternity is established, the father can then be required to pay support on behalf of the child. If paternity is disproved, there would be no basis for requiring the man to pay to support the children.
Contact an Experienced Orlando Child Support Lawyer Today
Child support issues can have a lasting impact on both your finances and your child’s future. Whether you are trying to establish a fair support order, request a modification due to a change in income, or enforce unpaid support, having experienced legal guidance can make a meaningful difference.
The Law Office Of Paulette Hamilton brings 15 years of combined experience to family law matters. Our child support attorneys understand how Florida courts calculate child support and what documentation is needed to support your position.
If you are facing a child support dispute or have questions about your obligations, do not wait to seek guidance. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation and discuss how we can help protect your interests and your child’s well-being.