Florida child support guidelines
Florida uses the income-shares model set in statute (§ 61.30) — built on both parents’ net incomes and the parenting schedule. This page explains the rules and links the official state worksheet; it doesn’t compute your figure.
How the Florida guideline works
- Combine both parents’ net monthly incomes — gross from most sources minus allowable deductions (taxes, the parent’s health insurance, mandatory retirement, and existing support for other children).
- Find the guideline support amount for that combined income and the number of children on the statutory schedule, which runs up to $10,000 of combined monthly net income.
- Prorate it between the parents by each one’s share of the combined income.
- Add health-insurance and childcare costs, then apply an overnight (time-sharing) adjustment.
Above the table, and the overnight gross-up
Two mechanics move Florida numbers the most. Above $10,000 combined net income, the schedule stops and the guideline adds a percentage of the excess — 5% for one child, rising to 12.5% for six — on top of the top-of-table figure. And when a parent exercises at least 20% of the overnights (73 nights a year), a gross-up calculation kicks in that can change the amount substantially. Because the net-income math, the excess percentage, and the overnight gross-up all interact, a number guessed from gross salary is unreliable.
How long support lasts, and changing it
Florida support generally ends at 18 — or at 19 if the child is still in high school with a reasonable expectation of graduating (§ 743.07) — and can continue for a child incapacitated before adulthood. Either parent can seek a modification once the guideline result differs from the current order by at least 15% or $50, whichever is greater. Income can be imputed to a parent found voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, based on recent work history and local job opportunities.
Use the official worksheet
The Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Program publishes the official guideline information and worksheet (linked above). Use it for an actual estimate — this page explains the model.
For a real case
The guideline amount is the starting point and a Florida court can deviate within statutory limits. For advice on your situation, consult a Florida family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Florida is set by Florida’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Florida calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Florida for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Florida?
- Florida uses the income-shares model set in statute (§ 61.30). It combines both parents' net monthly incomes, finds the guideline support amount for that combined income and the number of children in a statutory schedule, then prorates it between the parents by income share. Health-insurance and childcare costs and the number of overnights each parent has factor in.
- What counts as income in the Florida guideline?
- Florida works from net income — gross income from most sources minus allowable deductions like taxes, health insurance for the parent, and mandatory retirement. The guideline schedule is applied to the combined net figure, so it is not the same as gross salary.
- What happens above $10,000 combined net income?
- The § 61.30 schedule table runs up to $10,000 of combined monthly net income. Above that, the guideline adds a percentage of the excess — 5% for one child, 7.5% for two, 9.5% for three, 11% for four, 12% for five, and 12.5% for six — on top of the top-of-table amount. It's one reason higher-income cases need the official worksheet.
- Do overnights change the Florida amount?
- Yes. When a parent has at least 20% of the overnights (73 nights a year), a gross-up calculation applies and can substantially change the guideline amount. Because the schedule, net-income math, and overnight adjustment interact, the official worksheet is the reliable way to estimate it.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Florida support generally ends at 18, or at 19 if the child is still in high school with a reasonable expectation of graduating (§ 743.07); it can continue for a child incapacitated before adulthood. An order can be modified when the guideline result differs from the current order by at least 15% or $50, whichever is greater.