Pasco County, Florida Child Support Lawyer

Florida law requires that both parents provide financial support for their children. This is called child support. Whether you are married and divorcing and have children, have biological children with someone and are unmarried, or in some cases, when you have been supporting non-biological children, financial support is required by Florida law. Parents should remember that the purpose of child support is to help the other parent pay for the child’s financial needs, such as housing, clothing, utilities, food, medicine, and other necessary things such as health insurance. If you’re looking for a child support lawyer in Pasco County, Florida who can help you to set, amend, or enforce child support, contact us today for an in-person or virtual consultation.

Child Support Lawyer | Setting, Modifying, and Enforcing Child Support in Florida

Receiving court-ordered child support is crucial to ensure that your children’s needs are taken care of. Hiring an Hudson family lawyer experienced in handling Florida child support cases can often be faster than going through the Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement. If you need to set, modify or enforce a current support order in Pasco County or Hernando County, Florida, our firm is here to help.

Types of Child Support Cases in Florida

In Florida, there are different types of child support cases. Attorney Doyle-Palumbo commonly represents clients who have Non-Title IV-D child support cases. The following types of child support cases are defined below for your information. If you are unsure of the type of case you currently have, or, if you need to establish child support, Pasco County Florida Family Law Attorney Wendy Doyle-Palumbo will provide you with the answers you need.

• Non-Title IV-D – A non-title IV-D is when a custodial parent or “obligee” is to receive child support payments directly from the obligor or non-custodial parent. The Florida Department of Revenue is not involved in these types of cases. If the obligee or their attorney has filed a motion to enforce a child support or motion of contempt against you, you will need to file your answers with the courts promptly.
• Title IV-D cases – If the custodial parent receives assistance from the Florida Department of Revenue, such as in paternity cases, for enforcement of support or locating the “obligor” who owes support.
• Title IV-A cases – Title IV-A cases are when the “obligee” or the parent who is owed support receives public assistance benefits from the State of Florida. The State will attempt to collect support that is owed from the obligor.
• Title IV-E cases – If you are a relative or the parent or a foster parent caring for a child or children, The Florida Department of Revenue enforces these child support orders against the parents on behalf of the caretakers.

File for Temporary Relief for Child Support

If you are divorcing, our child support lawyer will assist you with all matters concerning support and time-sharing, which will become a part of your final divorce order.

• Use discovery to uncover income if your spouse or parent is hiding income to avoid paying the proper amount of support, especially to preserve your children’s current living standards.
• If you are unmarried and need to obtain a child support order
• Retroactive child support matters.
• If you need to establish paternity and wish to enjoy time-sharing with your child.
• Modification of child support.
• Child support and time-sharing matters.
• Enforcement of current child support orders for back child support.

Florida Child Support Guidelines and Standard Needs

Child support is calculated by utilizing the standards set forth by child support guidelines. Florida provides a standard needs table that can give you an idea as to how much child support may be ordered. Judges are allowed to deviate from the general child support standards. The guidelines help to calculate and determine the amount of child support that is needed for a child or children to reach an amount that one or the other parent will be ordered to pay.

The guidelines or “calculator” works by taking the following information to reach a percentage of what each parent should be responsible for:

• The income of both parents less allowable deductions to obtain the parent’s “gross” income
• The number of children
• The child’s health care costs
• Childcare costs
• Amount of Time-Sharing the payer receives

Income Deduction Orders and Florida Child Support

Oftentimes, Florida support orders include an income deduction order which means that child support will be automatically taken out of the payer’s payroll check. Other times, the payer pays support directly. Either way, situations can occur that cause your child support to be late. It can very quickly fall behind. It’s important to promptly schedule a consultation with a Florida child support attorney who can file a child support enforcement order in Pasco, Hernando, or Citrus County, FL courts. I understand that most parents who receive child support depend on it for financial survival. When there is back child support owed to you, you are likely to also fall behind financially, which could land you in a crisis.

Can’t Pay Your Court-Ordered Child Support?

If you have been ordered to pay child support and have had a change of circumstances that will cause you to be late, it’s highly beneficial to contact a child support attorney to file the proper motions with the courts so you are not found in contempt if your child support becomes past due. Raising children is costly and when you are unable to assist in financially supporting your children, you put their best interests at risk.

Enforcement Orders

As a Hudson divorce lawyer who has spent much of my time working with child support cases, it’s important to make sure that if you are paying child support, you will be ordered to pay the proper amount of child support. This will help you to abide by any child support orders, unbarring any future, unforeseen substantial and permanent circumstances. If you do find yourself in receipt of a child support enforcement order in Pasco or Hernando County, please call my office immediately for a consultation.

Contact a Child Support Lawyer Today

The bottom line is that if you need a legal team who can fight for the best outcome possible on your behalf, you’ve come to the right place. Contact Pasco County child support lawyer Wendy Doyle-Palumbo for an initial consultation today.