An Uncontested Florida Divorce with Two Children and Child Support Already Worked Out

Having children together is often assumed to make a divorce slower or more complicated. This case shows that when both parents already agree on the plan for their children, it doesn't have to.

The couple had two minor children together. They had already agreed to shared parental responsibility and a time-sharing schedule, which became the basis for their Parenting Plan. The one figure that took some real back-and-forth was child support: the standard guideline calculation didn't initially account for the fact that one parent was paying the children's daycare and aftercare costs directly, with the other reimbursing a share by Zelle. Once that actual childcare payment was properly credited in the guidelines worksheet, the support amount flipped to the direction and figure both parents had originally expected — about $835 a month, paid from the higher earner to the other parent, due on the first of each month starting after the Final Judgment.

Outside of the children, the case was simple: no real property to divide, no joint debts, and each parent kept the vehicle already in their possession. Both parents also mutually waived alimony.

Both parents reviewed and signed the Petition, Parenting Plan, and Marital Settlement Agreement through the firm's remote online notary process — a video call with a Florida-commissioned notary rather than an in-person appointment. Once the signed, notarized packet was filed, the assigned judge reviewed the file, including the Parenting Plan, and found it to be in the children's best interests. The Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage — incorporating both the Marital Settlement Agreement and the Parenting Plan — was entered within days of filing, without a hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does having children make an uncontested divorce take longer in Florida?

Not necessarily. What matters most is whether both parents already agree on parental responsibility, time-sharing, and child support. When they do, that agreement becomes the Parenting Plan, and the court can review and approve it as part of the same uncontested process — often without a hearing.

How is child support calculated when parents already agree on the amount?

Even when parents agree, Florida still requires a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet showing the calculation follows the statutory formula. Actual, verifiable costs — like a parent's direct payments for daycare or aftercare — are factored into that calculation, which can meaningfully change the final number from a bare-bones estimate.

Does a judge have to hold a hearing to approve a Parenting Plan?

Not always. When both parents have signed a complete, agreed Parenting Plan and Marital Settlement Agreement, and the judge finds the plan to be in the children's best interests based on the file, the Final Judgment incorporating both can be entered without a separate hearing.

Can divorcing parents split daycare costs outside of the child support payment itself?

Yes, parents can agree to divide specific shared expenses — like daycare, aftercare, or extracurricular costs — separately from the base child support figure, as long as the agreement is clear about which costs are already covered by that figure and which are split separately, to avoid double-counting the same expense.