The child support questions Brevard County parents actually ask — answered plainly under current Florida law by The Law Office of John Vernon Moore, P.A., with links to our full guides on each topic.
The Calculation
How is child support calculated in Florida?
Under the § 61.30 income-shares guidelines: both parents net incomes combine, the statutory schedule sets the basic obligation, childcare and insurance add on, and each parent pays their income share — adjusted for overnights at 73+ per year. Full walkthrough: child support guidelines.
Does 50/50 custody mean no support?
Usually not — with unequal incomes, the higher earner still pays a transfer sized to the gap. Details: support with 50/50 custody.
What counts as income?
Nearly everything recurring: salary, overtime and bonuses that are regular and continuous, self-employment income after legitimate expenses, military allowances like BAH and BAS, disability benefits, and more. Details: variable pay, self-employment, military pay.
My ex quit their job to lower support. Does that work?
No — courts impute income to the voluntarily unemployed at their demonstrated earning capacity. Details: imputed income.
Beginnings and Ends
Can support reach back before we filed?
Up to 24 months before filing — retroactive support with credit for provable payments. Details: retroactive support.
When does child support end?
At 18 — or high school graduation before 19 — with a major exception: support continues for adult children whose disability began before 18. Courts cannot order college support, but settlement agreements can. Details: college and adult children.
Can we waive child support by agreement?
Not meaningfully — support belongs to the child, and courts reject waivers, though modest deviations with findings are possible.
Changes and Problems
When can support be changed?
On a substantial change producing a guideline difference of 15% or $50, whichever is greater — and only from the filing date forward, which makes filing promptly everything. Details: modification and job-loss modification.
What happens if support is not paid?
Income withholding, license suspension, refund interception, liens, credit reporting, passport denial, and contempt — Florida enforcement is relentless, and arrears accrue interest forever. Details: enforcement and arrears.
Can I withhold time-sharing if support is not paid — or stop paying if I cannot see my kids?
Neither — the obligations are legally independent, and each violation carries its own consequences. Enforce the one you are owed; honor the one you owe. Details: parenting plan enforcement.
Does bankruptcy erase child support?
Never — support survives every bankruptcy chapter, and collection continues through the case. Details: bankruptcy and divorce.
The Details That Move Money
Who pays for health insurance and daycare?
Both, through the worksheet: the child-only premium and 75% of work-related childcare are added and split by income share, with uncovered medical costs allocated separately. Details: insurance and daycare.
Is there a maximum child support in Florida?
No hard cap — above $10,000 combined monthly net, statutory percentages apply to the excess, moderated by a needs-based deviation doctrine in very high income cases. Details: high-income support.
Does my new spouse’s income count?
No — the guidelines see only the parents’ incomes. Remarriage alone changes nothing in the calculation.
How do I actually pay or receive support?
Most orders route through income withholding and the State Disbursement Unit — automatic, documented, and the record that prevents every payment dispute informal arrangements create.
Get Your Number, and Get It Right
Our team — over 89 years of combined experience — runs these calculations and fights these fights every week, and the first 30 minutes are free. Call (321) 529-7777 or contact us online.