Florida Child Support: Income Shares & Guidelines
Florida uses an income-shares model: the parents' combined net income is applied to a guideline schedule (Fla. Stat. § 61.30). The guideline amount is presumptive — a court may deviate up to 5% without written findings, but more than 5% requires written findings. Health insurance and child-care costs are added.
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to a Florida attorney and use the current official guideline for actual numbers.
Florida sets child support with an income-shares model — the idea that a child should receive the same proportion of parental income they would have if the parents lived together.
How the guideline works
The court takes the parents’ combined net income and applies it to a guideline schedule (Fla. Stat. § 61.30). The resulting basic obligation is then divided between the parents in proportion to their incomes, and adjusted for the number of overnights each parent has under the time-sharing schedule. (We don’t list dollar figures here — always use the current official guideline.)
Added costs
On top of the basic amount, the court adds:
- The cost of the child’s health insurance; and
- Child-care costs.
The 5% deviation rule
The guideline amount is presumptively correct. A court may:
- Deviate up to 5% (above or below) without written findings; but
- Deviate by more than 5% only with written findings explaining why the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate.
Child support is decided alongside time-sharing and the overall divorce. To get matched with a local Florida family-law attorney, connect with a lawyer.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- How does Florida calculate child support?
- Florida uses an income-shares model: the parents' combined net income is applied to a guideline schedule (Fla. Stat. § 61.30), and the obligation is split between the parents. Health insurance and child-care costs are added in.
- Can a Florida judge order a different amount than the guideline?
- Yes, within limits. The guideline amount is presumptive. A court may deviate up to 5% without written findings; a deviation of more than 5% requires written findings explaining why (Fla. Stat. § 61.30).
- Are health insurance and day care included?
- Yes. The cost of the child's health insurance and child care is added to the basic guideline obligation (Fla. Stat. § 61.30). Use the current official guideline for actual figures.
Sources
Related guides
- Florida Adoption: Who Can Adopt & Consent Chapter 63 governs adoption in Florida. Section 63.042 allows any person to be adopted and lets a married couple, an unmarried adult, or a consenting stepparent adopt. Section 63.062 requires written consent from the mother, a qualifying father, and the minor if 12 or older, unless waived.
- Florida Alimony: Types & the 2023 Reform Under Fla. Stat. § 61.08 a court may award temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony. SB 1416 (2023) eliminated permanent (lifetime) alimony for final judgments entered on or after July 1, 2023, and added new limits. Confirm the current statute for the specific year and percentage limits.
- Florida Divorce: Grounds, Residency & Process Florida is a no-fault state: the usual ground is that the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' (Fla. Stat. § 61.052), with the only alternative being a party's mental incapacity for the preceding three years. One party must have resided in Florida for six months before filing (Fla. Stat. § 61.021).
- Florida Paternity: Establishing Legal Fatherhood Chapter 742 governs paternity for children born out of wedlock. Section 742.10 establishes paternity by judicial adjudication, a voluntary acknowledgment, or an administrative order. A signed voluntary acknowledgment becomes an establishment of paternity and after 60 days is challengeable only for fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact.
- Florida Property Division: Equitable Distribution Florida is an equitable distribution state. The court must begin with the premise that distribution should be equal, unless a justification for an unequal split exists under the statutory factors (Fla. Stat. § 61.075). Marital assets are acquired during the marriage; nonmarital property is owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance.
- Florida Time-Sharing & Parental Responsibility Florida uses 'time-sharing' and 'parental responsibility' instead of 'custody' (Fla. Stat. § 61.13). A parenting plan is required, and decisions follow the best interests of the child. A 2023 amendment created a rebuttable presumption that equal (50/50) time-sharing is in the child's best interest.