How much is too much for our children? It is certain when a kid has too much sugar, but one can never have too much love and support. Most parents would say children deserve the best that they can provide, and the law often mandates this in the case that parents get divorced.
The child support guidelines under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure show the amount of money determined to be the best possible coverage of children’s needs given parents’ combined monthly income. These amounts range between around 20 percent and around 45 percent of parents’ combined income, scaling higher for a larger number of children.
This formula may seem unfair to parents who see a far different level of income than their former spouse or fellow parent. As a result, Florida courts may order a larger amount or larger proportion of income paid by a parent to a fellow parent keeping custody of their child if that person earns a significantly higher amount.
Higher levels of child support from parents with the assets, known as good fortune child support, may be requested by parents petitioning for custody or assigned by a judge. Percentages of financial responsibility may also be changed by petition or court order if the earning circumstances of either parent change significantly over time.
Good fortune child support may also be requested through the legal representation of divorcing or divorced spouses. An attorney can work with financial statements and court evidence to show that good fortune child support is warranted for a child’s care.