Many clients in Jacksonville, Forida are confused about child support and 50/50 custody, now known in Florida as timesharing. Many parents in Jacksonville believe that by having equal timesharing or 50/50 custody that they will not have to pay child support. This is not necessarily true. The amount of child support each parent is required to pay, is pre-determined by Florida law and in most cases, one parent pays child support to the other parent. A Jacksonville Child Support Lawyer can help review your case and ensure you are paying or receiving the correct amount of child support for your case.
How Does a Jacksonville Attorney Calculate Child Support?
Both parents are legally required to contribute to the support of the child. The amount is predetermined by the Florida Child Support Guidelines. Florida utilizes what is known as in “income shares model” to determine the amount of support. Child support is calculated by adding the monthly net incomes of both parties together. Based on the combined amount of both incomes, an amount of child support is already determined by law. Each parent’s income may be offset by childcare fees, health insurance costs paid for the child, and timesharing (the number of overnights each parent has with the child). So long as the child spends at least 73 nights with a parent, they will receive a child support credit for timesharing. In some situations, where a parent is paying extraordinary medical expenses or private school tuition, the court may also consider offsetting these expenses as well.