Are child support payments based on income?

In Florida, child support payments are indeed based on income. The Florida Legislature has established the formula of income shares, which is a way to calculate the amount of child support payments based on the income of both parents. The formula takes into account the combined gross income of both parents and the number of children that need to be supported. The basic premise of the income shares model is that the child should receive the same proportion of parental income that they would have received had the parents stayed together. This means that if the combined income of both parents is $4,000 per month, and the parent paying child support earns $2,000 per month and has two children, then that parent should pay 33% of their income towards child support, or $667 per month. Under the income shares model, child support payments may slightly vary for different family incomes, since parents with higher incomes may be required to pay a greater proportion of their income in child support. In Florida, the court will generally use the income shares model to calculate child support payments. However, the court has the discretion to deviate from the model in certain circumstances, such as when the custodial parent’s income is above a certain threshold or when extraordinary medical or educational expenses arise.

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Are child support payments based on income?

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