Florida Child Support Calculation: How the Guidelines Worksheet Works

You Deserve to Know the Number Before You Agree to Anything

Whether you are going through a divorce, negotiating a parenting plan, or considering a modification, few things cause more anxiety than the question: how much will child support be? I have seen parents agree to amounts that are thousands of dollars too high or too low simply because they did not understand how Florida actually calculates child support. That uncertainty ends today.

Here is the direct answer: Child support calculation in Florida follows a mathematical formula established by Florida Statute Section 61.30. The formula uses both parents' net incomes, the number of overnights each parent has, health insurance costs, daycare expenses, and a few other factors to produce a presumptive guideline amount. This is not a judge's opinion or a negotiation starting point pulled from thin air. It is a specific number generated by a specific worksheet, and every family court in every Florida circuit uses the same guidelines.

In my practice, I have prepared hundreds of these calculations for parents in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, Duval, and virtually every other Florida county. The process is not as complicated as most people fear, but the details matter enormously. A single error in how you categorize income or calculate overnights can shift the result by hundreds of dollars per month.

This guide walks you through every element of the child support formula in Florida so you understand exactly how your number is determined. And if you want a professional calculation prepared for your specific situation, our Child Support Calculation service delivers a complete Florida Guidelines Worksheet with a written explanation for $195, typically within one to two business days.

How Florida Child Support Guidelines Actually Work

Florida child support guidelines are codified in Florida Statute Section 61.30. Unlike some states that use a simple percentage-of-income model, Florida uses an income shares model. This means the state considers what both parents earn, not just the paying parent, because the law recognizes that both parents have a financial obligation to their children.

The income shares model is based on a simple principle: children should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the family had stayed together. The Florida Legislature has published a schedule within Section 61.30 that shows the combined monthly obligation for one child, two children, three children, and so on, at various combined income levels.

Here is what you need to know: once you determine both parents' net incomes and add them together, you look up the combined obligation on the statutory schedule. Each parent's share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income. Then adjustments are made for health insurance, uncovered medical expenses, daycare, and the number of overnights.

The final number is the presumptive guideline amount. Florida courts must order this amount unless a party demonstrates that deviating from it is in the child's best interest, and even then, a judge can only deviate up to five percent without making specific written findings under Florida Statute Section 61.30(1)(a).

Step-by-Step: How to Calculate Child Support in Florida

Let me walk you through the exact steps I follow when preparing a child support calculation for a client. This is the same process the court uses, and it follows the structure of the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(e), the Family Law Financial Affidavit, and Form 12.902(e)(1), the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet.

Step 1: Determine Each Parent's Gross Income

Gross income is the starting point for every child support calculation in Florida. Under Florida Statute Section 61.30(2), gross income includes virtually all sources of income:

• Salary, wages, bonuses, commissions, and tips
• Business income and self-employment earnings
• Disability benefits, workers' compensation, and unemployment
• Pension, retirement, and Social Security benefits
• Rental income
• Interest, dividends, and investment income
• Spousal support received from a previous marriage
• Recurring gains from property dealings

What is not included? Means-tested public benefits such as SNAP, TANF, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are excluded from gross income.

One area where I see frequent mistakes involves self-employment income. If a parent is self-employed, the court looks at gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary business expenses, but not every deduction claimed on a tax return qualifies. Depreciation on assets, for example, is often added back in. This is one reason having a professional prepare your calculation matters.

Step 2: Calculate Net Income

Florida Statute Section 61.30(3) lists the allowable deductions from gross income:

• Federal, state, and local income taxes (based on filing status and actual allowable deductions)
• FICA and Medicare taxes (7.65 percent for employees, 15.3 percent for self-employed individuals, with the self-employed getting credit for the employer-equivalent portion)
• Mandatory union dues
• Mandatory retirement contributions required as a condition of employment
• Health insurance premiums for the parent only (not for the children, which is handled separately)
• Court-ordered child support actually paid for children from another relationship

After subtracting these items, you have each parent's net monthly income. This is the figure that drives the calculation.

Step 3: Combine Net Incomes and Find the Minimum Child Support Need

Add both parents' net monthly incomes together. Then refer to the child support schedule in Florida Statute Section 61.30(6). This schedule provides the minimum child support need based on combined net income and the number of children.

For example, as of 2025-2026, for two parents with a combined monthly net income of $5,000 and two children, the guideline minimum child support need is approximately $1,365 per month. For one child at the same income level, it is approximately $951.

These figures are published in the statute and updated periodically by the Legislature. The schedule covers combined monthly incomes from $800 to $10,000, and for incomes above $10,000, the court has discretion to set support by considering the needs of the children and the standard of living they would have enjoyed.

Step 4: Determine Each Parent's Percentage Share

Divide each parent's net monthly income by the combined net monthly income. This gives you each parent's percentage of the total.

Example: If Parent A earns $3,500 net per month and Parent B earns $1,500 net per month, the combined income is $5,000. Parent A's share is 70 percent. Parent B's share is 30 percent.

Step 5: Add Health Insurance and Daycare Costs

The cost of the children's health insurance premium (the portion attributable to covering the children, not the parent's own coverage) is added to the minimum child support need. Likewise, daycare costs that are necessary due to employment, job search, or education are added.

So if the minimum need is $1,365 and the children's health insurance costs $200 per month and daycare costs $800 per month, the total child support need becomes $2,365.

Each parent is responsible for their percentage share: Parent A owes 70 percent ($1,655.50) and Parent B owes 30 percent ($709.50).

Step 6: Apply the Overnight Adjustment

This is where the calculation gets more nuanced, and it is the factor I see cause the most confusion and disputes.

Florida recognizes two scenarios:

• Standard visitation (fewer than 73 overnights per year with the non-majority parent): No overnight adjustment is applied.
• Substantial time-sharing (73 or more overnights per year with each parent): A mathematical adjustment reduces the obligation of the parent exercising substantial overnights because they are paying more direct expenses during those overnights.

The formula for the substantial time-sharing adjustment is detailed in Florida Statute Section 61.30(11)(b). Without getting into the algebra, the effect is significant. A parent who has the children 50 percent of the time will owe substantially less than a parent who has the children every other weekend.

In my experience, the difference between 72 overnights and 73 overnights can change a child support obligation by several hundred dollars per month. This is one of the most consequential thresholds in all of Florida family law.

Step 7: Credit for Direct Payments

The parent who pays the children's health insurance premium or daycare directly receives a credit against their obligation. This avoids double-counting.

Step 8: Determine the Final Guideline Amount

After applying the overnight adjustment and credits, you arrive at the presumptive guideline amount. This is the number the court will order unless there is a compelling reason to deviate.

A Real-World Example From My Practice

A recent client, a father in Broward County, came to us convinced he would owe over $2,000 per month in child support for his two children. His soon-to-be ex-wife had proposed that amount during mediation, and he was panicking.

When I prepared the child support guidelines worksheet, the picture was very different. His gross monthly income was $7,200 and hers was $3,800. After deductions, his net was approximately $5,400 and hers was approximately $3,000. They were planning a 50/50 time-sharing schedule with 182.5 overnights each.

Using the guidelines worksheet, the combined net income was $8,400. The minimum child support need for two children at that income level was approximately $1,794. Adding $250 for the children's health insurance (which the father was paying through his employer) and $600 for after-school care, the total need was $2,644.

The father's percentage share was 64.3 percent. But because of the 50/50 time-sharing arrangement, the substantial time-sharing adjustment reduced his net obligation significantly. After crediting him for paying health insurance directly, his final guideline amount was approximately $743 per month, not $2,000.

That single calculation saved him from agreeing to overpay by more than $1,200 every month, which would have amounted to over $14,000 per year.

This is exactly why I tell every parent: know your number before you negotiate.

Factors That Can Cause a Deviation From the Guidelines

Florida courts can deviate from the guideline amount by up to five percent without written findings. For deviations greater than five percent, the court must make specific written findings explaining why the guidelines amount is unjust or inappropriate. Under Florida Statute Section 61.30(1)(a), the court may consider:

• Extraordinary medical, psychological, or educational expenses
• Independent income of the child (such as a trust fund or employment)
• The obligee parent's low income combined with the disparity between households
• Seasonal variations in income
• The age of the child and special needs
• Total assets available to each parent
• The impact of the IRS dependency exemption and tax implications

In practice, deviations beyond five percent are not common, but they do happen. I have seen them most frequently in cases involving children with special needs or cases where one parent has significant non-income-producing assets.

Why Overnights Matter So Much

If there is one thing I want every Florida parent to understand, it is this: the number of overnights in your parenting plan directly impacts your child support obligation.

The 73-overnight threshold is the dividing line between standard and substantial time-sharing under Florida Statute Section 61.30(11)(b). Crossing this threshold triggers the substantial time-sharing formula, which can reduce the higher-earning parent's obligation by 30 to 50 percent or more, depending on the income disparity and overnight split.

This is why your parenting plan and your child support calculation must be developed together. They are inextricably linked. A parenting plan that gives you 70 overnights per year produces a very different support number than one that gives you 146 overnights.

Imputed Income: What Happens When a Parent Is Underemployed

Florida courts do not allow a parent to reduce their child support obligation by voluntarily reducing their income. Under Florida Statute Section 61.30(2)(b), if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income to that parent based on their recent work history, qualifications, and prevailing local earnings.

Imputed income means the court assigns an income amount to the parent based on what they could be earning rather than what they are actually earning. The only exception is when a parent's unemployment or underemployment is the result of the needs of a child, such as staying home with an infant, and it is in the child's best interest.

I have handled cases in Orange County and Hillsborough County where a parent quit a $90,000-a-year job and took a part-time position earning $25,000 right before the divorce. In both cases, the court imputed income at or near the prior salary level. The guidelines worksheet can be prepared using either actual or imputed income, and our calculation will account for whichever scenario applies to your case.

Common Mistakes in Florida Child Support Calculations

After preparing hundreds of these worksheets, here are the errors I see most frequently when parents try to calculate child support on their own or when less experienced professionals prepare the worksheet:

Any one of these errors can shift the final number by hundreds of dollars per month.

How We Help: Our Child Support Calculation Service

At Divorce.law, our Child Support Calculation service is designed for parents who want to know their number with confidence. For $195, here is exactly what you receive:

• A complete Florida Child Support Guidelines Worksheet prepared in accordance with Florida Statute Section 61.30 and Form 12.902(e)(1)
• A calculation based on your specific financial information, custody arrangement, and relevant expenses
• A clear written explanation of how the amount was determined, so you understand every factor
• Consideration of daycare costs, health insurance premiums, uncovered medical expenses, and any other applicable adjustments
• A written summary you can use in negotiations, mediation, or court
• Access to the Divorce.law Client Portal for secure document upload and real-time case tracking
• 24/7 access to Victoria, our AI assistant, for questions about your case at /ask-victoria

Turnaround is typically one to two business days. You upload your financial documents, provide your custody schedule, and we handle the rest.

This service is ideal for:

• Parents negotiating child support as part of a divorce or paternity case
• Anyone who has been proposed a child support amount and wants to verify whether it matches the guidelines
• Parents seeking a modification who need a recalculation based on changed circumstances
• Anyone who simply wants to understand what guideline support would be before making any decisions

If you are also developing a parenting plan, consider pairing this with our Parenting Plan service so your custody arrangement and support calculation are aligned from the start.

Addressing Common Concerns

I found a free child support calculator online. Why would I pay for this?

I understand the appeal of free online calculators, and some of them provide a reasonable ballpark. But here is the issue: those calculators do not know your case. They do not account for irregular income, self-employment nuances, proper health insurance allocation, or the specific overnight count in your parenting plan. They also do not produce a document you can file with the court or present at mediation with any credibility.

When I prepare a calculation, I review your actual financial documents, apply the correct deductions, verify the overnight count against your proposed or existing parenting plan, and produce a professional worksheet that stands up in any Florida courtroom. For $195, you are getting accuracy and a usable legal document, not an estimate.

What if my ex lies about their income?

This happens more often than it should. Florida law provides tools to address it. Under Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.285, both parties are required to provide mandatory financial disclosure, including tax returns, pay stubs, and bank statements. If a parent underreports or conceals income, the other parent can request additional discovery or ask the court to impute income.

Our calculation can be prepared using the income figures you have available. If your ex's income is disputed, we can run scenarios at different income levels so you know the range of possible outcomes. For more complex income disputes, a Strategy Session with our team can help you develop a plan to uncover hidden income.

When Child Support Can Be Modified

Child support in Florida is never permanently fixed. Under Florida Statute Section 61.14, either parent can seek a modification when there is a substantial change in circumstances. Common triggers include:

• A significant increase or decrease in either parent's income
• Job loss or disability
• A change in the time-sharing schedule
• A change in the children's needs (such as new medical expenses or the end of daycare)
• The emancipation of one child when multiple children are covered by the order

The standard for modification is that the change must result in at least a 15 percent or $50 difference from the existing order, whichever is greater, when the guidelines are recalculated.

If you are considering a modification, the first step is getting a new child support calculation to see whether your changed circumstances produce a number that meets the modification threshold. You can also explore our Modify Child Support service for help preparing and filing the modification petition.

Understanding Retroactive Child Support

One question I frequently receive is whether child support can be ordered retroactively. The answer is yes. Florida Statute Section 61.30(17) permits courts to award retroactive child support back to the date of the initial filing of the petition. In some cases involving paternity, retroactive support can go back even further.

This means if you delay filing, you may lose months of support you could have been receiving. Conversely, if you are the paying parent and support is ordered retroactively, you may face a lump-sum arrearage. For more detail on this topic, see our discussion on retroactive child support in Florida.

The Role of the Financial Affidavit

Every child support case in Florida requires each parent to complete a Financial Affidavit, either Form 12.902(b) for individuals earning less than $50,000 per year or Form 12.902(c) for those earning $50,000 or more. This sworn document details your income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.

The Financial Affidavit is the foundation of the child support calculation. If it contains errors or omissions, your calculation will be wrong. We have a detailed guide on how to complete the Florida Financial Affidavit that walks you through every line.

What Happens If You Do Not Pay Child Support

Florida takes child support enforcement seriously. If a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, the consequences can include:

• Wage garnishment through an Income Deduction Order (which is mandatory in virtually all cases)
• Suspension of driver's license, professional licenses, and recreational licenses
• Seizure of tax refunds and bank accounts
• Contempt of court, which can result in jail time
• Reporting to credit bureaus

The Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program, handles enforcement for many cases, but private enforcement actions are also available.

Getting Started: What You Need to Bring

To prepare an accurate child support calculation, we need the following from each parent (or as much as you have available for the other parent):

You can upload all of these documents securely through our Client Portal when you order your Child Support Calculation.

Why Timing Matters

If you are in the middle of a divorce, heading into mediation, or responding to a petition, having your child support number ready is not optional. Walking into a negotiation without knowing your guideline amount is like buying a house without knowing its appraised value. You have no leverage, no benchmark, and no way to know whether what is being proposed is fair.

At $195 with a one-to-two business day turnaround, there is no reason to go in blind. Order your Child Support Calculation now and know your number before your next conversation, mediation session, or court date.

If you are unsure whether this service is right for your situation, or if your case involves complex income issues, hidden assets, or contested custody, start with a Strategy Session and we will point you in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Child Support Calculation

How is child support calculated in Florida for 50/50 custody?

Even with a 50/50 time-sharing arrangement, child support is not automatically zero. Florida uses the income shares model under Florida Statute Section 61.30, which means the higher-earning parent will typically still owe support. The substantial time-sharing adjustment significantly reduces the amount compared to a standard visitation schedule, but it does not eliminate it unless both parents earn exactly the same income and share all child-related expenses equally.

Can parents agree to a child support amount different from the guidelines?

Yes, but with limits. Parents can agree to an amount that differs from the guidelines, but the court must review the agreement. If the agreed amount deviates more than five percent from the guideline amount, the court must make written findings that the deviation is in the children's best interest. A judge can reject an agreement that appears to shortchange the children.

Does child support cover extracurricular activities and private school?

The guideline amount is intended to cover basic needs. Extracurricular activities, private school tuition, and other extraordinary expenses are not automatically included. However, the court can order these costs to be shared between parents, and parents frequently agree to split them. These arrangements are typically addressed in the parenting plan or a separate agreement rather than in the guidelines worksheet itself.

How long does child support last in Florida?

Child support in Florida generally continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, but not beyond age 19. If a child has special needs and is dependent, support may continue indefinitely. For each child covered by an order, the support amount will need to be recalculated when one child ages out, because the guideline amount changes with the number of children.

What if I cannot afford the child support amount?

If the guideline amount creates a genuine hardship, you can ask the court for a downward deviation. You will need to present evidence of your financial circumstances and explain why the guideline amount is unjust. Common grounds include extraordinary debt, significant expenses for other dependents, or documented medical conditions that limit earning capacity. However, courts take the position that supporting your children is a primary obligation, so deviations are not granted lightly.

Do I need a lawyer to get child support calculated?

You are not legally required to have an attorney prepare your child support calculation, but accuracy matters enormously. A miscalculation can cost you thousands of dollars over the life of the order. Our Child Support Calculation service at Divorce.law provides a professional, court-ready guidelines worksheet for $195 without requiring you to retain a full-service attorney. It is an affordable way to get precision and peace of mind.

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This article provides general information about Florida divorce law and is not legal advice. Every case is unique. For advice specific to your situation, schedule a consultation with a Florida-licensed attorney.