Sarasota Child Support Lawyer
Venice Family Law Attorney - Protecting Your Family, Future, and Financial Security
As you file for divorce, one of the many concerns you are probably facing is how you will be able to financially provide for your child. You surely want to make sure that your child has everything he or she needs and that they maintain the same quality of life they enjoyed before your divorce. At Boeller Law, P.A., we may be able to help you obtain the child support you and your family need. Our child support attorneys serve Lakewood Ranch, Venice Beach, Sarasota and the surrounding areas.
Is Child Support Mandatory in Florida?
Yes, child support is mandatory in Florida. A parent’s financial support is the child’s legal right under Florida law, which means that parents can’t waive their obligation to pay it.
Do You Have to Pay Child Support If You Have 50/50 Custody in Florida?
In an ideal situation, both parents would be responsible for exactly half of their children’s expenses. However, since it’s unlikely that each parent’s monthly expenses and income are the same, this ideal situation rarely occurs. Even if parents in Florida split physical custody 50/50, the parent with the higher annual income will most likely be the one to pay child support.
How Far Behind in Child Support Before You Go to Jail in Florida?
If you are four months past due and owe $2,500 or more for too long, child support failure becomes a felony in Florida. There are three criteria for felony child support neglect in Florida.
How Does Child Support Work in Florida?
When determining child support, a court will typically take the following factors into consideration:
- Gross income of both parents
- Number of children
- Spousal support
- Ages of children
- Any special needs of the family
- Time sharing agreement
- Tax consequences
- Healthcare costs
Although there is no way of knowing the exact amount of child support a parent will receive, we provide our clients with accurate expectations based on child support guideline calculations in Florida. We realize the vagueness and uncertainty of child support cases can cause a great deal of anxiety in our clients, which is why we try to give them estimations that are as accurate as possible.
What Happens if You Marry Someone Who Owes Back Child Support in Florida?
If you marry someone who owes back child support in Florida, you are not automatically responsible for their debt. However, your spouse's child support obligation may affect your finances in many ways.
For example, your spouse may garnish their wages if their spouse is to pay back child support by requirement. Garnishing wages means that a portion of their paycheck will be automatically deducted and sent to the owing parent child support. As a result, child support payments could make it difficult for your spouse to make ends meet and impact your joint finances.
In addition, if your spouse is behind on their child support payments, they may be subject to other enforcement measures, such as suspending their driver's license or being denied a passport. These measures can make it difficult for your spouse to travel or get around and impact your ability to do things together as a couple.
If you are considering marrying someone who owes back child support, you must know the potential financial and legal implications. Therefore, it would be best to talk to your spouse about their child support payments and how it will affect your relationship.
Need a Sarasota Child Support Lawyer to Help? Contact our firm.
At Boeller Law, P.A., we offer all of our clients the same level of high-quality representation they need and deserve in order to make the divorce process less daunting and overwhelming. Thanks to her background in mental health counseling and extensive experience with handling family law matters, Attorney Sara Sawyer Boeller can provide you with the compassionate legal guidance you need at this difficult time of your life.
If you're looking for a child support attorney in Lakewood Ranch, Venice Beach, Sarasota, or the surrounding areas in Florida, please do not hesitate to contact Boeller Law, P.A.
