Men’s Only Attorneys Fighting for Your Rights
At Kenny Leigh & Associates, we work to protect the fathers of Florida and ensure that their rights during and after a divorce are not being abused or mistreated.
As a father, you want your child to always have everything that he or she may need. In most divorce settlements, in order to keep the child in the lifestyle they’ve grown accustomed to, the father is often required to pay child support. This responsibility frequently falls to the men because they are more often the primary wage earners in the marriage.
Addressing Financial Hardships and Changes After Divorce
In the face of a divorce, everyone involved experiences major transitions. After the divorce, you may need to change your living arrangement, take on additional financial burdens, and may even change jobs. It is crucial that these factors be taken into account when determining child support responsibilities. Due to a cultural bias, men are vulnerable to paying much more child support in Florida than they actually need to pay, or can afford to pay. You need a child support lawyer for fathers as you navigate this complex aspect of divorce. At Kenny Leigh & Associates we ensure the support rulings are fair and reasonable.
Preserving the Relationship Between Father and Child
The highest priority for any father is that their children have everything they need. The need for fathers to make child support payments is often necessary and perfectly acceptable. However, you need proper legal representation to ensure the process is handled fairly and properly. If your perspective or financial situation is misconstrued, the child can become a pawn that is used against you. You should never be denied access to your loved ones if you can’t meet an unfairly high monetary price. This can be emotionally damaging for every party involved. Financial rulings should not remove a father from a child’s life. At Kenny Leigh & Associates, we fight to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Providing Fathers with Experienced Legal Representation
At Kenny Leigh & Associates, we are certainly not advocating that men should not pay child support. We simply work aggressively to ensure that the rights of fathers in Florida are not abused. A man can become financially and emotionally devastated if required to pay more support than he can afford. Our attorneys work to ensure that fathers are treated fairly, and children receive the financial support they need.
Attorneys Serving All North and Central Florida
From Offices Including:
FAQs
How Do I File for Child Support in Florida?
Child Support requests are filed with the court by petition, either as part of a divorce or paternity case or as a standalone action. You’ll need to establish paternity if the parents aren’t married and provide financial information, including income documentation.
How Do I Calculate Child Support?
Florida uses an “income shares model” where both parents’ net incomes are combined and applied to state guidelines that determine the basic child support obligation based on the number of children. The amount is then divided between parents proportionally to their incomes, and adjustments are made for health insurance, daycare costs, and overnight timesharing.
How Far Back Can Child Support Be Claimed?
In Florida, child support can generally be claimed retroactively back to the date the petition was filed, or in some cases up to 24 months before filing. Support typically cannot be ordered before the child’s birth, and the court has discretion on retroactive amounts based on the circumstances.
Can I Request Modification of Child Support in Florida?
To modify child support, you must file a Supplemental Petition for Modification and demonstrate a “substantial change in circumstances” (typically at least a 15% or $50 change in the calculated amount). Common reasons include significant changes in income, alterations in timesharing arrangements, or adjustments in the child’s needs. It’s best to hire a child support attorney to ensure the modification request is filed correctly.
How Does Child Support Back Pay in Florida Work?
Child support arrears (back pay) in Florida accrue when ordered payments aren’t made and become a judgment that doesn’t expire, with annual interest. The state can enforce collection through wage garnishment, tax refund interception, license suspension, and contempt proceedings, and arrears remain owed even after the child turns 18.
What Does the DOR Do?
The Florida Department of Revenue oversees child support payments and helps Florida citizens locate parents, establish paternity, determine assets, and establish and modify child support orders. The department monitors payments and helps a parent take action if the other parent does not pay their support on time.