Florida Child Support Guide 2026: How the Income Shares Model Works

Florida child support follows a written formula, not a guess. The income shares model in Fla. Stat. §61.30 combines both parents’ net incomes, looks up the children’s basic need in a statutory schedule, adds childcare and health insurance, and splits the total by income. This guide walks through each step with a worked example.

Because the guideline amount is legally presumed correct, the estimate you get from the statute is very close to what most families actually end up paying or receiving. Knowing how each input — income, childcare, health premiums, and overnights — moves the final number helps you prepare paperwork, spot errors in the other side’s worksheet, and have a realistic conversation before anyone files anything.

How is child support calculated in Florida?

Florida adds both parents’ monthly net incomes together and matches the total against the guidelines schedule in §61.30(6), which covers combined incomes from $800 to $10,000 for one to six children. Work-related childcare and the children’s health insurance are added, and each parent owes a share proportional to their percentage of the combined income.

Run your own numbers with the free Florida Child Support Calculator — it uses the full statutory schedule and the same pro-rata split the courts use.

What counts as income and net income in Florida?

Gross income under §61.30(2) includes wages, bonuses, commissions, overtime, tips, self-employment earnings, disability, pensions, Social Security, rental income, and more. Net income subtracts only the allowable deductions in §61.30(3): income taxes, FICA, mandatory union dues, mandatory retirement, the parent’s own health insurance, and court-ordered support or alimony actually paid to others.

What happens when Florida parents earn over $10,000 a month combined?

The schedule stops at $10,000 of combined monthly net income, but the obligation does not. Under §61.30(6)(b), support equals the schedule amount at $10,000 plus a percentage of the excess: 5.0% for one child, 7.5% for two, 9.5% for three, 11.0% for four, 12.0% for five, and 12.5% for six children.

What does a real Florida calculation look like?

Take gross incomes of $6,000 and $3,000 a month. After federal tax and FICA, estimated net incomes are $4,956.83 and $2,592.17, combining to $7,549 — the $7,550 schedule row, which sets the basic obligation for two children at $1,951. Add $600 childcare and $250 health insurance, and the paying parent’s 65.66% share comes to $1,839.20 monthly.

Does shared custody change Florida child support?

Yes, significantly. When each parent has the children for at least 20% of the year’s overnights — 73 nights — §61.30(11)(b) requires a gross-up adjustment: each parent’s basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5 and offset by the other parent’s overnight percentage. The higher earner usually still pays, but typically much less than the standard calculation.

Can a Florida court order more or less than the guideline?

Within limits. A court may vary the guideline amount by up to 5% after considering all relevant factors, but a bigger deviation requires a written finding that the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate. Section 61.30(11)(a) lists deviation factors, including extraordinary medical or educational expenses, a child’s special needs, seasonal income swings, and the child’s own independent income.

How do taxes and take-home pay feed into a Florida case?

Florida has no state income tax, so the tax deduction inside §61.30(3) is mostly federal tax and FICA — which is why gross-to-net estimates here are simpler than in most states. To sanity-check your own take-home figures before estimating support, use our Paycheck Calculator, and see what covering the children costs with the Health Insurance Cost Estimator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum child support in Florida?

Florida sets no flat minimum dollar amount. The schedule’s lowest row, at $800 of combined monthly net income, lists $190 for one child, and §61.30(6)(a) handles parents whose income falls below the schedule case by case, capping the payment at 90% of the gap between the paying parent’s net income and the federal poverty guideline.

Does Florida use gross or net income for child support?

Net income controls the calculation, but gross income is where it starts. The court first totals each parent’s gross income from every source, then subtracts only the deductions §61.30(3) allows. Voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parents can have income imputed at what they could earn, based on work history and local pay levels.

When does child support end in Florida?

Generally at age 18. Support can extend to 19 for a dependent child still in high school who is expected to graduate before turning 19, and it can continue without an age limit for a dependent adult child whose physical or mental incapacity began before they turned 18.

How hard is it to modify a Florida child support order?

The guidelines themselves can prove the change: under §61.30(1)(b), the difference between the existing obligation and the new guideline amount must be at least 15% or $50, whichever is greater, before a court may find a substantial change of circumstances based on the guidelines alone. Income changes and new timeshare patterns are the most common triggers.

Disclaimer: This guide explains Florida’s guideline formula in simplified form, with net income estimated from gross using federal tax and FICA only, and the linked calculator provides an estimate only. It is not legal advice. Actual orders use the official Form 12.902(e) worksheet and full §61.30 deductions — consult a Florida family law attorney about your specific case.