what is a child support lawyer in florida

Child Support Lawyers in Florida Child support attorneys in Florida help the mother or father determine their rights and responsibilities for financially supporting a child. In many cases, the non-custodial parent pays support to the custodial parent under child support calculations mandated by state law.

Full Answer

How do I become a child support lawyer?

A child advocacy lawyer begins his/her education by obtaining a bachelor's degree. Courses to take in a pre-law curriculum include government and history, English and literature, and psychology and philosophy. These courses will help to prepare the candidate for the kind of critical thinking and analytical skills that are needed to be a lawyer.

What kind of lawyer do I need for child support?

Important references to obtain on child custody attorneys include:

• Asking friends and family members
• Seeking advice from court clerks at the court office
• Inquiring of other parents, strangers included, who currently have cases at the child support office
• The state bar association can pass on referrals
• Depending on your state, some courts may maintain a network of attorneys

How to find a good child custody attorney?

Where Do I Start?

• Stay Local. Finding a ‘custody lawyer near me’ might not seem like the most important thing. ...
• Recommendations and Reviews. If you needed to hire a cleaning service or repairman, the first thing you might do is ask your friends if they have a service they would ...
• Know Your Case. ...
• Experience. ...
• In Person Interview. ...

Can a lawyer help with my child support?

The U.S. Treasury only garnishes a person’s Social Security for federal loans, unpaid child support and/or unpaid taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service. Focus on making this time for her as comfortable as you can.

How much is a child support lawyer in Florida?

You may be wondering, “How much does a child support lawyer cost?” The average cost for a child support lawyer, per hour, ranges between $100 and $500. If the case is uncontested, total costs typically vary from $2,500 to $5,000. However, contested cases could cost anywhere between $5,000 and $25,000.

Do you need a lawyer to file for child support in Florida?

There is no requirement for an individual to hire a lawyer to file for child support in Florida. A person has the right to self-representation in court, and that right remains the same in all Florida family law proceedings.

What is Florida law on child support?

In Florida, Child support is a legal duty paid by both parents, not just the fathers. Child support is commonly enforced until the child turns 18 years of age. But, if the child hasn't graduated high school or has a disability, the parents may choose to continue child support payments.

Can you negotiate child support in Florida?

Child support is a right that belongs to the child in Florida, and parents cannot negotiate it away, nor can their consent to non-payment of fit.

What is the maximum child support in Florida?

Thus, there is technically no maximum amount of child support in Florida. Instead, the parties will be required to pay an amount that supports the standard of living enjoyed by the family prior to divorce and is fair based on both parties' incomes, as well as their degree of responsibility in providing childcare.

How much is child support in Florida per month?

Step 2: Select the number of children involved.Combined Monthly IncomeOneTwo$900$213$302$950$224$347$1,000$235$365$1,050$246$38261 more rows

How much is average child support in Florida?

Florida. If monthly income exceeds $10,000, child support is calculated by multiplying the amount of income over $10,000 by a percentage based on the number of children. For this, one child is 5%, two is 7.5%, three is 9.5%, four is 11%, five is 12%, and six is 12.5%.

How do I beat child support in Florida?

Still, there are four ways to legally avoid paying child support:Modifying the existing child support order. If you were ordered to financially support your child, you might have a right to request a modification. ... Giving up your parental rights. ... Waiting until your child turns 18.

What rights does a father have in Florida?

Fathers are granted custody and visitation rights depending on a DNA paternity test. Florida custody laws for unmarried parents state both parents share equal custody rights. Unmarried child custody includes the parent's right to decide things about the child's life like education, religion, and medical care.

At what age can a child refuse visitation in Florida?

However, most judges will take into account a child's preference around the age of 12 or 13, along with other factors such as the child's intelligence, maturity, child's experiences with each parent and whether the child understands the decision being made.

How much back child support is a felony in Florida?

The delinquency threshold regarding child support enforcement in Florida that would amount to a felony is: $2,500 in past-due support and four months of consecutive non-payment, or. Previously convicted of non-payment, or. Attempts to leave the state to avoid payment of child support.

Is Florida a 50/50 child custody State?

You likely have questions about child custody, and how often you will be able to see your children. You may have heard Florida is a 50/50 child custody state, but there is no statutory requirement that mom and dad will split 50/50 parenting time – in fact, nowhere is this mentioned in Florida custody law.

How do I start child support?

A petition to establish child support can be filed in court to establish child support. The amount of support will be based on Florida’s Child Supp...

How do I change the amount of child support?

In order to change a child support order, there must be a substantial change in circumstances. If there has been a substantial change, a petition t...

What Are Florida’s Child Support Guidelines?

The Guidelines determine how much child support will be paid by each parent. The Guidelines are essentially a mathematical formula to determine the...

How do I get custody rights if I pay child support?

Paying child support does not necessarily also include child custody rights. If the other parent is withholding custody, you may need to file a pet...

What if the other parent is not paying child support?

If the other parent has stopped paying support without court approval you may have grounds to file a motion for contempt. If the motion is granted,...

How do I increase the amount of child support?

If the other parent earns more income since the last child support case, you may be able to file a petition to modify/ increase the amount of suppo...

When does child support stop?

Normally, child support ends when the child turns 18. However, the support can be extended until the child turns 19, if the child is still in high...

Can a parent waive child support?

Under Florida law, a parent cannot waive child support. Technically, child support is owed to the child and the parent does not have the ability to...

How do I enforce a court order for child support?

Typically, a motion for contempt is used when a parent stops paying child support. If the motion is granted, the court will require the support to...

Do I need an attorney to enforce a court order?

You are not required to hire a lawyer, but it is recommended to obtain a lawyer to assist. The judge can even require the other party to pay your a...

Overview of Child Support in Florida

While raising children is expensive, the financial obligations can feel even more extreme when they are coming from two separate accounts. It is si...

How Is The Process For Child Support Calculations started?

To begin the process of determining the amount of child support payments, which parent will be the majority parent and which will be the non-majori...

What Constitutes “Income?”

The income of each parent is the starting point in determining child support. Gross income for each parent includes wages and salary, commissions,...

What Are Allowable Deductions?

The deductions allowed for parents in the calculation of child support include the following: 1. Health insurance premiums for the children; 2. Day...

How Are The Child Support Payments calculated?

After taking income and allowable deductions into consideration, and arriving at the parents’ gross income, the number of children from the marriag...

Can A Florida Court Deviate from The Florida Child Support Guidelines?

While the “normal” calculations generally work well for most parents in the determination of child support, the Florida courts do have some discret...

Can I Receive Retroactive Child Support Payments?

Once child support payments are established, the paying parent may be responsible for retroactive child support for the time between the separation...

If My Spouse and I Share Custody, Do I Have to Pay Child Support?

The state of Florida has largely eliminated the terms “custody,” and “primary or secondary residential parent,” replacing them with “majority time...

When My Child Turns 18 Can I Stop Paying Child Support?

Most parents who pay child support operate under the assumption those payments will cease the day the child turns 18. In truth, there are other fac...

If I Remarry Will My Child Support Payments Be Lowered automatically?

A myth which many parents believe is that by remarrying, they automatically escape their current child support obligations. Nothing could be furthe...