Florida Child Support — Calculator, Laws & Guide (2026)

Understanding Florida child support laws helps both custodial and non-custodial parents know their rights and obligations. This comprehensive Florida child support guide covers how payments are calculated, what income counts, when support can be modified, and how orders are enforced. Whether you are going through a divorce, seeking a modification, or dealing with non-payment, this guide explains Florida’s child support system in plain language.

Verified against Florida statutes and federal OCSE guidelines as of May 2026.

Florida Child Support Overview

Florida uses the income shares model for calculating child support. This model is based on the principle that children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family were intact. Both parents’ incomes are combined, and the support obligation is divided proportionally.

Florida uses the Income Shares Model under Fla. Stat. §61.30. Both parents’ net incomes are combined and matched to a statutory schedule based on number of children. Each parent pays their proportional share of the combined obligation based on their percentage of total income. A time-sharing adjustment applies when either parent has at least 73 overnights per year (20% of overnights). Health insurance, childcare, and uncovered medical costs are added to the basic obligation and divided proportionally.

How Florida Calculates Child Support

The Florida child support calculation considers multiple factors:

1. Determine each parent’s gross income — wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, self-employment income, investment income, and other sources.
2. Calculate combined parental income — add both parents’ adjusted gross incomes together.
3. Apply the guideline schedule — Florida’s guidelines provide a base support amount based on combined income and number of children.
4. Prorate between parents — each parent’s share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income.
5. Add healthcare and childcare costs — these are added to the base amount and divided proportionally.
6. Apply adjustments — parenting time credits, other child obligations, and special circumstances may adjust the final amount.

Online calculator: Use our child support estimator below to calculate your estimated obligation.

What Counts as Income in Florida

Net income (gross income minus allowable deductions). Gross income includes: salary, wages, bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime, tips, business income, disability benefits, workers compensation, unemployment compensation, pension and retirement payments, Social Security benefits, spousal support received from a previous marriage, interest and dividends, rental income, royalties, trusts, and any other income source. Allowable deductions include federal/state taxes, FICA, mandatory union dues, mandatory retirement contributions, health insurance premiums, and court-ordered support for other children actually paid.

Imputed income: YES. Income is imputed to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent. The court determines employment potential and probable earnings based on recent work history, occupational qualifications, and prevailing earnings in the community. The party seeking imputation bears the burden of proof. Exception: incarceration (other than for willful nonpayment of child support or offense against the child/obligee) may NOT be treated as voluntary unemployment.

Deviation factors: Court may deviate plus or minus 5% without written findings. Greater deviations require written findings. Statutory factors include: (1) extraordinary medical, psychological, educational, or dental expenses; (2) independent income of the child (excluding SSI); (3) payment of support for a parent with demonstrated need; (4) seasonal variations in income or expenses; (5) age of the child and greater needs of older children; (6) special needs such as disability costs traditionally met within family budget; (7) total available assets of parents and child; (8) impact of IRS dependency exemption and tax credits; (9) needs of child, station in life, standard of living; (10) financial status and ability of each parent; (11) shared parenting time-sharing adjustment (20%+ overnights triggers adjustment).

Healthcare & Childcare in Florida Child Support

Health insurance: Health insurance costs for the child ordered pursuant to §61.13(1)(b) are added to the basic child support obligation and divided proportionally between parents based on their share of combined income. Any noncovered medical, dental, and prescription medication expenses are also added and divided proportionally. The court must order one or both parents to provide health insurance for the child if available at reasonable cost.

Childcare costs: Child care costs incurred due to employment, job search, or education calculated to result in employment or enhance income of current employment are added to the basic obligation and divided proportionally between parents. Any prepaid childcare costs are deducted from that parent’s share.

When Does Florida Child Support End?

In Florida, child support generally ends when the child reaches 18, but extends to age 19 if the child is still in high school, performing in good faith, with a reasonable expectation of graduation before turning 19. Also terminates upon emancipation, marriage, joining the armed services, or death.. However, support may continue or end earlier based on:

• The child graduates from high school (if still a minor)
• The child becomes emancipated (marriage, military service, self-supporting)
• The child has special needs requiring ongoing support
• College support: NO. Florida does not require parents to pay for college or post-secondary education expenses. Support obligation ends at 18 (or 19 if still in high school). Courts cannot order college support absent a voluntary agreement between the parties.

Modifying Florida Child Support

When to modify: The difference between the existing monthly obligation and the amount provided under current guidelines must be at least 15 percent or 50 dollars, whichever is greater, to constitute a substantial change in circumstances. Additionally, a parent’s failure to regularly exercise the court-ordered time-sharing schedule (not caused by the other parent) which resulted in the adjustment of child support is deemed a substantial change.

How to modify: Either parent may petition the court for modification. In Title IV-D cases (cases managed by Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Program), the Department of Revenue can conduct an administrative review every 3 years or upon showing of substantial change. Non-IV-D cases require filing a Supplemental Petition to Modify Child Support with the circuit court that issued the original order.

Either parent can request a modification. Changes are typically not retroactive to before the date of filing the modification request.

Florida Child Support Enforcement

Florida has multiple tools to enforce child support orders when a parent fails to pay:

• Income deduction/wage garnishment (income withholding orders to employers); suspension of driver license
• professional licenses
• and recreational licenses; interception of federal and state tax refunds; reporting to credit bureaus; seizure of bank accounts (financial institution data match/levy); passport denial for arrears over 2500; contempt of court proceedings; liens on real and personal property; lottery intercept; unemployment compensation intercept; workers compensation intercept.

Contact Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program at https://floridarevenue.com/childsupport/Pages/default.aspx for enforcement assistance.

Additional Florida rules: Florida applies a time-sharing credit when either parent exercises at least 20% of overnights (73+ nights per year), which reduces the obligor’s payment. The statutory schedule provides presumptive amounts based on combined net income and number of children. Florida courts may also consider the payment of support for children from other relationships as a deduction. Self-employment income is calculated as gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary business expenses. Social Security derivative benefits received by the child on behalf of the obligor parent are credited against that parent’s child support obligation.

Official Sources & Resources

• Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program: https://floridarevenue.com/childsupport/Pages/default.aspx
• Federal OCSE: acf.hhs.gov/css
• Cornell LII — Child Support: law.cornell.edu
• Florida Guidelines Statute: Florida Statutes §61.30 (Child support guidelines; retroactive child support) and §61.13 (Support of children; parenting and time-sharing; powers of court)

Last verified May 2026. Contact us if you notice outdated information.

Estimate Your Child Support

Use our free child support estimator to calculate estimated monthly payments. Enter both parents’ incomes, number of children, and custody arrangement to see a personalized breakdown based on your state’s formula.

Related Guides

• Florida Divorce Process Guide
• Florida Child Custody Guide
• Florida Alimony Guide
• All Child Support Guides