Dade City Child Support Lawyer
Making sure children are properly cared for and parents are given the means to see to their needs
Determining child support is a necessary component of any divorce or paternity action with minor children or older adult children with special needs. Many factors impact these calculations including overnights and income taxes. Our goal is to consider all the factors and calculate a number that is lawful and in our clients best interest. Child support is determined according to calculations provided in the Florida Child Support Guidelines. However, courts can deviate, sometimes significantly, from the guidelines amount when given good reason to. At the Law Office of Laurie R. Chane, our Dade City child support lawyer can help ensure that Florida Child Support Guidelines are being used properly and any deviation is proven necessary. Learn more about child support in Florida below, and contact our office for help as a payor or recipient of child support in Pasco County.
How child support is determined in Florida, and how Dade City divorce lawyer Laurie R. Chane can help
Supporting a child financially is an obligation that falls on both parents, whether they are married, separated, divorced or were never married in the first place (a paternity action may be necessary to establish child support from an unmarried father). The Florida Child Support Guidelines are based on the combined net income of both parents, along with other factors such as the number of children to be supported and the division of parenting time allocated to each parent in the child custody timesharing decision.
In determining net income, the guidelines look at income from all sources, including not just salary or wages but also bonuses, commissions, benefits, retirement or unemployment income, and more. Additionally, the costs of child care, health insurance and other health care costs for the child are considered as well.
If either spouse is a business owner or self-employed, the financial picture can be complex. Parties may make mistakes in reporting income, or they may deliberately underreport or hide income from the court or the other party. With decades of experience handling high-asset and complex divorces, attorney Laurie Chane can help ensure that the Guidelines are being handled appropriately by you and your spouse.
Deviation
When ordering that a parent pay child support, Florida judges are authorized to deviate from the Guidelines amount by as much as five percent (up or down) for any reason. Judges may also deviate more than five percent, but only for specific reasons, such as:
- Medical expenses or other special needs of the child
- The child spends substantial time with both parents
- One parent has significantly more parenting time than the other
- One parent has very little parenting time
Laurie R. Chane can help you by preparing and presenting a compelling case to the judge as to whether a deviation is warranted or not.
Help with Child Support in Dade City and Pasco County
For help with divorce or modification of child support in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills or throughout Pasco County, call the Law Office of Laurie R. Chane in Dade City at 352-567-0055 to schedule a consultation with a skilled, knowledgeable and experienced Dade City child support lawyer.
