Child Support Under Florida Law
Child support in Florida is governed by statutory guidelines set forth in Fla. Stat. §61.30, which establishes a formula-based approach to calculating each parent's financial obligation. However, the calculation is far from automatic - Florida's child support guidelines consider both parents' net incomes, the number of overnights each parent has, healthcare and childcare costs, and other factors that can significantly affect the final support amount.
How Florida Calculates Child Support
The Florida child support guidelines under Fla. Stat. §61.30 use a detailed formula that starts with both parents' combined net monthly income. The guidelines table then establishes a minimum support need for the number of children involved. Each parent's share is proportional to their percentage of the combined income, with adjustments for overnight timesharing, healthcare premiums, and uncovered medical expenses.
Critically, "income" for child support purposes extends well beyond W-2 wages. Under the statute, income includes commissions, bonuses, business income, disability benefits, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, pension and retirement income, Social Security benefits, spousal support received, and interest and dividends. When a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute income - attributing earning capacity based on education, experience, and local job market conditions.
Florida also permits deviation from the guideline amount by up to 5% without specific written findings, and greater deviations with adequate justification. Common reasons for deviation include extraordinary medical or dental expenses, seasonal income variation, age-specific needs of the child, and special needs or gifted-program expenses.
Child Support Cases in Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens child support cases are filed at the Palm Beach County Family Division courthouse at 205 N. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach. The PGA Boulevard corridor's professional and executive families frequently involve support calculations with complex income components - partnership distributions, stock options, corporate bonuses, and investment income that fluctuate year to year. Marc Cohen's MBA training in quantitative analysis equips him to properly analyze these income streams and present clear financial evidence to the court for an accurate support determination.
Why Choose Marc M. Cohen, P.A.? Marc Cohen's MBA in Quantitative Analysis is a significant advantage in child support cases, where accurate financial analysis is the foundation of a fair outcome. Whether it's uncovering underreported business income, properly characterizing bonus compensation, or challenging an opposing party's imputation arguments, Marc applies financial rigor that general practitioners often lack. His 25+ years of experience with Palm Beach County and Broward County courts means he understands how local judges apply the guidelines and where there is room for advocacy.
Contact a Palm Beach Gardens Child Support Attorney
If you need experienced legal representation for child support matters in Palm Beach Gardens, contact Marc M. Cohen, P.A. for a free consultation. Call (561) 740-3301 or contact us online to discuss your case. We serve clients throughout Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach County, and all of South Florida.