Receiving child support can be crucial for many parents, and our attorneys will work to ensure your rights are protected. If you’re having trouble securing the child support payments you need and deserve, a Gainesville family law lawyer at our firm can help.
At Bogin, Munns & Munns, we can stand by your side and take action to seek the payments you need. We can handle all tasks related to court proceedings or take other approaches to compel a parent to abide by their financial responsibility. In addition, we offer case reviews so that you can readily learn your options.
How Is Child Support Calculated in Florida?
In Florida, child support arrangements are made when a parent requires assistance with the costs of raising children. These arrangements may be made after a divorce or when two parents do not intend to marry or live together.
Child support payments should account for the many costs of raising a child, including:
- Daycare
- Schooling costs
- Food
- Housing
- Clothing
- Healthcare
The parent responsible for paying child support will be expected to provide funds based on several factors. These include:
- Which parent has custody
- Each parents’ income and financial assets
- The costs of the children’s essential needs
- How many children are being provided for
To consult with an experienced child support enforcement lawyer serving Gainesville
(855) 780-9986
Our Gainesville Lawyers Can Help You Seek the Child Support You Deserve
Our attorneys know how to help you go after the child support payments you need. There are several approaches that we can take to assist you. The following actions can be taken to seek child support payments:
Income Withholding and Liens
We can explain how child support could be withheld from the other parent’s paychecks. The parent’s employer must be known for this arrangement to be enforced.
If the parent owns assets such as a personal vehicle or a boat and the parent owes more than $600, a lien could be placed on the property (per the Florida Department of Revenue).
Penalties Related to Personal Identification
If a parent receives a notice to pay child support but does not make payments, they could face a license suspension. In situations where a parent owes more than $2,500 in past-due payments, they could see a denial of any passport applications they submit.
Legal Action in Court
If we can take legal action in circuit court, the other parent may be found in contempt of court, ordered to pay past-due child support, or ordered to seek out employment or job training.
In some cases, the parent who is willfully refusing to make child support payments could face jail time. If the parent receives an order to appear in court but fails to appear, they could be arrested.
When You Can Seek Help from Our Legal Team
You can get help with child support enforcement issues when the other parent:
- Has missed payments
- Is not paying you the correct amount ordered by the court
- Is refusing to pay and denying financial responsibility
It can be frustrating to deal with these challenges on your own. Whether the other parent just started missing payments or has been financially unresponsive for some time, we can help.
Gainesville Child Support Enforcement Lawyer Near Me
(855) 780-9986
Frequently Asked Questions in Child Support Enforcement Cases
Seeking the payments you need can leave you with many questions. Our Gainesville attorneys are here to help you get the answers.
Are There Laws in Florida that Protect My Right to Get Child Support?
Yes. Several Florida laws protect a parent’s right to receive child support. These include:
- Florida Statutes § 61.13, which outlines a parent’s right to child support payments
- Florida Statutes § 61.30, which establishes how child support payments are to be calculated
Several other laws in Florida regulate child support payments and define parents’ rights to financial assistance. Our child support enforcement lawyers in Gainesville understand the ins and outs of these laws and can explain how they apply to your case.
Can My Child Support Order Be Changed Based on New Circumstances?
Many changes can happen after you establish a child support payment plan. You can make changes to a child support order when you, your children, or the other parent faces a significant life change. These circumstances may include:
- The loss of a job
- A major illness
- A change that would substantially affect the payment order (by at least 15% or not less than $50)
Other reasons may justify a change in a child support order. We can explain your eligibility to request a child support order review and help you make the request.
What If I Have a Court Order for Child Support from Another State?
If you live in Florida but your child support order was issued outside of Florida, we can help. We can assist you with compiling the paperwork necessary, including the original court order.
Can I Receive Child Support for a Child Over 18?
In general, the age of 18 marks the end of child support payments for an individual child. However, there are several situations where you may be able to receive payments for child support when a child is over 18. These include when:
- A parent owes you past-due payments
- The child has a disability
- The court order was issued by a state that ensured the right to child support past age 18
- The court order states that you should receive payments for the child past age 18
You could get payments for a child over 18 in other situations.
Get a Case Review About Your Child Support Enforcement Needs
If you’re unsure about how to proceed when a parent owes you child support, our attorneys can help. Call our Gainesville team today to get a case review. We can explain all your legal options and tell you more about how Bogin, Munns & Munns can help.
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