Jacksonville Child Support Lawyer
Under Florida law, parents have a fundamental obligation to support their children. This obligation persists even if the parents are no longer residing together with the child in the same household, whether as a result of divorce or otherwise. Child support is calculated in accordance with specific statutory guidelines. Under the guidelines, the main factors utilized in calculating child support are the respective incomes of the parents and the number of overnights that each parent spends with the child per year according to the time-sharing schedule set forth in a parenting plan. (Please see the Child Custody and Time-Sharing section on this website for further information regarding time-sharing and parental responsibility.)
Our Jacksonville child support attorneys are experienced in family law litigation and are dedicated to fighting for your rights in matters of child support disputes.
Additional factors to be considered include contributions of each parent to health insurance coverage, daycare expenses, and uncovered medical expenses for the child. The court may allow deviation from the guidelines, but only upon considering no fewer than eleven (11) separate factors, ranging from extraordinary child-related expenses to special time-sharing arrangements that would reduce child-related expenses of the potential receiving-parent. Once established, child support is typically paid until such time that the child turns eighteen (18) years of age, but may be extended beyond such time under certain limited circumstances. Unlike alimony, child support cannot be waived because it is a right vested in the child, not the parent. (Please see the Alimony section on this website for further information regarding establishment and enforcement of alimony.) Furthermore, child support cannot be affected through the use of premarital and post-marital agreements.
In any event, if child support is a matter of dispute in your case, you should consult with an attorney experienced in family law litigation at Grigaltchik & Galustov, P.A., at (904) 701-7180, who will fight for your rights and help you obtain and present crucial evidence in support of your position to the court.
