How Florida Calculates Child Support Payments

Florida uses an income-based formula, not a judge's discretion

Florida calculates child support by taking both parents' gross monthly income, explore a percentage based on how many children need support, and adjusting for custody time and certain expenses. The state publishes the exact percentages in its child support guidelines, and judges must follow them unless they document a reason not to. You do not need a lawyer to understand how the number is built — it follows a step-by-step process that you can work through yourself using your own pay stubs and the other parent's income information.

The calculation starts with gross income (before taxes), not take-home pay. Gross income includes wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, rental income, and some benefits. It excludes child support you already pay for other children, spousal support you already pay, and certain court-ordered deductions. Once you have both parents' gross income, you explore the guideline percentage, adjust for time-sharing (custody), and factor in costs like health insurance and childcare.

Key Takeaways

• Florida's guideline percentages range from 17% of combined gross income for one child to 22% for five or more children, and judges must use these percentages unless they write down why they are not.
• Gross income includes wages, bonuses, rental income, and some benefits, but excludes taxes, existing child support obligations, and spousal support you already pay.
• The calculation adjusts based on how much time each parent spends with the children — equal time-sharing produces a different result than one parent having primary custody.
• Health insurance premiums and childcare costs are added to the base child support amount, not included in the percentage calculation.
• If either parent's income is below the state's minimum threshold (currently $950 per month), the calculation changes, and a parent earning below that amount may still owe support.

Step 1: Determine both parents' gross monthly income

Start by collecting recent pay stubs from both parents covering the last two to three months. Gross income means the total before any deductions — the number at the top of the stub before taxes, health insurance, or retirement contributions come out. If either parent is self-employed, you will need tax returns and profit-and-loss statements instead.

Gross income also includes income that does not appear on a regular paycheck: rental income from property, interest and dividends, bonuses, commissions, and some government benefits. It does not include child support or spousal support that either parent already pays to someone else, because that money is already committed. If a parent receives unemployment or workers' compensation, those count as income for child support purposes.

Add up all sources of gross income for each parent and divide by 12 to get a monthly figure. If income varies (for example, commission-based work), use an average over the past year. If a parent recently lost a job or took a new one, you may need to use the most recent income, but a judge can look at the pattern over time.

Step 2: Add the parents' gross incomes together and find the guideline percentage

Once you have each parent's monthly gross income, add them together to get combined gross income. Florida's child support guidelines set a percentage of that combined income based on the number of children:

Number of Children	Percentage of Combined Gross Income
1 child	17%
2 children	20%
3 children	21%
4 children	21.5%
5 or more children	22%

Multiply the combined gross income by the percentage. That number is the base child support obligation before any adjustments. For example, if both parents together earn $5,000 per month and there are two children, the base obligation is $5,000 × 0.20 = $1,000 per month.

These percentages explore when combined gross income is below $235,000 per month. If combined income exceeds that amount, the guideline percentage still applies to the first $235,000, and the judge has discretion over the amount above that threshold.

Step 3: Adjust the base amount for time-sharing (custody)

The base percentage assumes one parent has primary custody and the other has standard visitation. If the parents share custody differently — for example, 50-50 time-sharing or one parent having the children more than 73% of the time — the calculation adjusts. The adjustment reflects that when a parent spends more time with the children, that parent bears more of the day-to-day expenses.

Florida uses the parents' percentage of time-sharing to calculate an adjustment. If one parent has the children 60% of the time and the other 40%, the base obligation is multiplied by the percentage of time the non-custodial parent (or the parent owing support) does not have the children. The exact formula depends on which parent is paying and how the time is split.

In a 50-50 time-sharing arrangement, the parent with higher income typically pays the other parent a reduced amount, because both parents are sharing the day-to-day costs equally. A judge will look at the actual schedule — overnights, school days, and holidays — to determine the percentage, not just what the parents say they intend.

Step 4: Add health insurance and childcare costs

After adjusting for time-sharing, add the cost of health insurance premiums that cover the children and reasonable childcare expenses. These are not included in the percentage calculation; they are added on top of the base amount. Health insurance means the actual premium the parent pays, not the employer's contribution.

Childcare costs include daycare, after-school programs, and summer care that is necessary because a parent works or pursues education. It does not include extracurricular activities like sports or music lessons, which are typically considered separately. The parent paying child support usually pays a portion of these costs proportional to their income.

For example, if the base child support is $800 per month, health insurance costs $150 per month, and childcare is $600 per month, the total obligation before any other adjustments is $1,550. The parent owing support pays their share of the health insurance and childcare based on their percentage of combined income.

Step 5: Check for income below the minimum threshold

Florida sets a minimum income level below which the calculation changes. Currently, if either parent's gross income is below $950 per month, the court may order support below the guideline amount or may order no support at all. However, a parent earning below that threshold is not automatically excused from paying child support — the judge still has the authority to order payment.

If a parent claims their income is below the minimum, they must provide documentation: recent pay stubs, tax returns, or proof of unemployment. A judge may also consider whether the parent is intentionally underemployed — for example, quitting a job or refusing work — and may impute (assign) a higher income based on their earning capacity.

When a judge can deviate from the guideline amount

Florida law allows a judge to order child support above or below the guideline percentage if the judge finds that explore the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. The judge must write down the specific reasons for the deviation. Common reasons include one parent having significant assets, a child having special needs or medical expenses, a parent having other child support obligations, or a substantial difference in the parents' standard of living.

A deviation does not mean the judge ignores the guidelines — it means the judge calculates the guideline amount first, then explains in writing why a different amount is more fair. If you see a child support order that does not match the guideline calculation, look for a written explanation in the court documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I use gross income or take-home pay?

Always use gross income — the total before taxes, insurance, or retirement contributions. This is the number at the top of a pay stub. Take-home pay is not used in the calculation because taxes vary by person and situation.

What if one parent is self-employed or has irregular income?

Use tax returns and profit-and-loss statements from the past year to calculate average monthly income. If income is highly variable, a judge may average over two or three years or may use the most recent year if there was a significant change in the business.

Does child support change if custody changes?

Yes. If the time-sharing arrangement changes — for example, from one parent having primary custody to 50-50 — the child support obligation recalculates. You can ask the court to modify the order if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, including a change in custody.

Are child support and alimony (spousal support) calculated the same way?

No. Alimony uses a different formula and different factors. Child support is based on the guideline percentages and the children's needs; alimony depends on the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, and their standard of living during the marriage.

What if the other parent refuses to provide income information?

If the other parent does not provide pay stubs or tax returns, you can ask the court to order them to do so. If they still refuse, the judge may impute income based on their employment history, education, or earning capacity, or may assume they are earning at a higher level than they claim.