Determining child support when a relationship breaks down

On behalf of Furr & Cohen, P.A. posted in Child Support on Sunday, May 8, 2016.

It’s incredibly difficult when you’ve come to the conclusion that your relationship is over. It’s a time when strong emotions are in play, and even the simplest things, previously quickly resolved, can become overwhelming. The situation can become even more sensitive when there are children involved. Things such as child custody, visitation, parental rights, and child support need to be addressed.

When it comes to the question of child support specifically, there are child support guidelines in place. In the state of Florida, these guidelines take into consideration the income of both parents, costs involved in the care, and the standard needs of the child, which is determined by the child’s age and net income of the parents. Other factors may be taken into consideration, such as the amount of time each parent spends with the child. Examples of some expenses that may be considered extracurricular expenses are things such as sports, school fees and health insurance. Where there are exceptional circumstances such as high medical expenses for the child, a judge may move outside the standard guidelines in a child support case.

Regardless of the determining factors, and specific guidelines, the issue of child support can lead to serious disagreement and conflict between the parents involved. Attempting to resolve these problems without help can quickly become more confrontational and complicated than it needs to be which can result in more stress and even damage to the relationships involved. It can even end up causing emotional damage to the child.

To prevent making a difficult situation worse, and unintentionally damaging a child’s well-being, obtaining an attorney with extensive experience in cases involving child support disputes will be essential. Your attorney can ensure your situation is resolved in the best way possible to avoid relationship damaging conflicts.