Child Support

Florida Child Support Lawyers

While one of the most emotional issues in a divorce involves who gets custody of the children, determining how to fully support your children can also be a difficult decision. While there are Florida child support guidelines that are used to determine whether child support is awarded and how much, these cases are often not as easy as they might initially seem.

In Florida, child support is usually based on income. However, other expenses can factor into the determination of a child support amount. We can help you understand how child support payments are calculated and how this affects your specific goals for your case.

Call the experienced lawyers at Stepniak & Park, P.A. to learn more about your options regarding child support. We have offices in Daytona Beach, DeLand, Palm Coast, and Orlando, and are able to represent people throughout the state.

Child Support: Based on Parents' Agreement or Court Order

Divorcing parents do have the option to work together to make a decision concerning child support. Our attorneys can help parents collaborate and communicate in order to reach a mutually agreeable arrangement. Before this agreement can be final, the courts must review it and whether it is fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the children.

If parents are not able to come to agreement about the amount of child support, we can assist our client in court. We work with either the mother or father to assert their rights and protect their children's best interests. Our lawyers have handled many divorce trials and are skilled in negotiating and litigating child support disputes and other divorce-related issues.

Florida Law Concerning Child Support Payments

Florida state statute 61.13 describes determination of child support and provides for modifications:

"...the court may at any time order either or both parents who owe a duty of support to a child to pay support to the other parent or, in the case of both parents, to the person with custody ... The court initially entering an order requiring one or both parents to make child support payments has continuing jurisdiction ... to modify the amount and terms and conditions of the child support payments when the modification is found necessary by the court in the best interests of the child, when the child reaches majority, when there is a substantial change in the circumstances of the parties, ... or when a child is emancipated, marries, joins the armed services, or dies..."

If any substantial change in circumstances occurs, for either parent, a parent may petition the court for an increase or decrease in child support. Examples of substantial changes which can affect child support include a new job, the loss of a job, a change in custody, a child's special needs or a parent's disability.

Our goal is to help parents secure fair, not extravagant, child support arrangements. We represent parents who are collecting child support for their children, parents seeking enforcement of a support order through wage garnishment, and parents who are paying child support. We also work with parents who are concerned with establishing paternity to secure child support.

If you need an attorney with the concern and experience that is needed to help you determine fair child support, contact Robert F. Stepniak. We help people throughout the state of Florida work out child support arrangements.