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How will a judge decide the amount of a child support award?
A judge will decide the amount of child support by using Florida’s Child Support Guidelines. These guidelines use a formula that looks at what the child needs and what each parent can afford to pay, based on their income.1
Most of the time, the judge will order the amount the guidelines calculate. However, the judge can adjust that number, up or down by about 5%, after considering:
- your child’s needs;
- your child’s age;
- your family’s standard of living; and
- each parent’s income and ability to pay.2
In special situations, the judge can set an amount higher than the 5% range, for example, if a child has large medical expenses. When that happens, the judge must explain in writing why a different amount is fair or necessary.2
1 See Florida Department of Revenue website
2 Fla. Stat. §61.30(1)(a)
