Child support · Florida · Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined)
Florida child support calculator 2026
Under the Florida guidelines (income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined)), a parent with gross income of $5,000 a month paying support for one child to a parent earning $3,500 would pay about $715 a month, or $8,574 a year, before the court considers any deviation. For two children it is about $1,111 a month. Parenting time changes the amount in Florida, so the calculator asks how many overnights the children spend with each parent.
Rules checked against the Florida statute and guidelines (effective 1 July 2025) on .
One child, headline example
$715
a month
Two children
$1,111
a month
Model
Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined)
parenting time counts
A year, one child
$8,574
headline example
Florida child support by the paying parent's income
Guideline monthly support when the receiving parent earns $3,500 a month gross, with no health insurance or childcare add-ons and the children living mainly with the receiving parent. Net income is estimated from gross using the state's method.
| Payer's gross monthly income | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $431 | $668 | $835 |
| $3,000 | $497 | $769 | $962 |
| $4,000 | $614 | $954 | $1,194 |
| $5,000 | $715 | $1,111 | $1,392 |
| $6,000 | $802 | $1,246 | $1,562 |
| $7,500 | $913 | $1,417 | $1,778 |
| $10,000 | $1,065 | $1,650 | $2,070 |
| $15,000 | $1,299 | $2,005 | $2,519 |
How parenting time changes Florida child support
Same incomes as the headline example ($5,000 and $3,500 a month, one child), with different overnights per year for the paying parent.
| Overnights a year with the paying parent | Monthly support |
|---|---|
| 0 | $715 |
| 52 | $715 |
| 104 | $549 |
| 146 | $337 |
| 182 (about half) | $156 |
Worked example, step by step
Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined).
| Step | Figure |
|---|---|
| Paying parent net income (estimate) | $4,199.17 |
| Receiving parent net income (estimate) | $2,993.92 |
| Combined net income | $7,193.09 |
| Paying parent’s share of combined income | 58.38% |
| Basic obligation for 1 child (schedule row $7,150) | $1,224.00 |
| Paying parent’s share (58.38%) | $714.54 |
| Guideline child support a month | $714.54 |
What the guideline assumes
Net incomes are estimated as gross minus federal tax (single filer, standard deduction) and FICA. Florida also allows your own health premium, mandatory union dues and retirement, and court-ordered alimony to be deducted (§61.30(3)).
Also worth knowing
The court can vary the amount by up to 5% either way without written findings ($678.81 to $750.27), and more with a written reason (§61.30(1)(a)).
Also worth knowing
Guideline estimate only. Only a court or the Department of Revenue can set the actual amount. Not legal advice.
Get the official figure
Florida publishes its own calculator, Florida Courts Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form 12.902(e)), which follows the same guidelines with every input the court uses. Use it, and a family law attorney or the state child support agency, before relying on any number here.
Courts can deviate
The guideline amount is a presumption, not a fixed rule. A judge can order more or less where the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate, for example for high incomes, special needs, or an agreement between the parents that the court approves.
Guides and definitions
- Long term capital gains tax: 2026 rates, brackets and examples (Guide)
- Child tax credit 2026: amount, income limits and who qualifies (Guide)
- Earned income tax credit: who qualifies and how much you get (Guide)
- Child Tax Credit (The Child Tax Credit cuts US federal tax by up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17, with up to $1,700 refundable.)
- FICA (FICA is the US payroll tax for Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500 in 2026) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% over $200,000).)
- Marginal tax rate (Your marginal tax rate is the share of your next pound or dollar of income that goes in tax and deductions.)
- Standard deduction (The standard deduction is the fixed amount US taxpayers subtract from income before federal tax: $16,100 single, $32,200 joint for 2026.)
- State Disability Insurance (SDI) (State Disability Insurance is a payroll deduction that funds short-term disability and paid family leave; California takes 1.3% of all wages in 2026.)
Child support in other states
- California (Statewide uniform guideline formula (income and time-share))
- Illinois (Income shares (750 ILCS 5/505))
- Indiana (Income shares, weekly (Indiana Child Support Guidelines))
- Texas (Percentage of the paying parent’s net resources)
All states compared · Enter your own incomes, children and parenting time
Common questions
How is child support calculated in Florida?
Florida uses the Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined) model. Income shares (both parents’ net incomes combined). The court starts from the guideline amount and can adjust it.
How much is child support for one child in Florida?
It depends on income. With the paying parent on $5,000 a month and the other parent on $3,500, the guideline amount is about $715 a month. On $4,000 it is about $614, and on $10,000 about $1,065.
How much is child support for two children in Florida?
About $1,111 a month in the headline example, compared with $715 for one child. The guideline does not simply double for two children.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Florida?
Not necessarily. Equal time reduces the amount, and if both parents earn the same it can fall to near zero, but where incomes differ the higher earner usually still pays something under the Florida formula.
Is this the amount a Florida court will order?
No. It is a guideline estimate from the published rules, with net income estimated from gross. The actual order depends on the full worksheet, the evidence of each parent's income and any deviation the judge allows. Use Florida's official calculator and get legal advice.
Sources and assumptions
- Gross monthly incomes as entered; net income for the formula is estimated with the state's standard method (single filer, standard deduction).
- No health insurance, childcare or other add-ons, and no support paid for other children, unless shown.
- Florida Statutes §61.30 (child support guidelines)
- Florida Courts Form 12.902(e), Child Support Guidelines Worksheet
- Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Program
- Florida Courts Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form 12.902(e))
A guideline estimate, not legal advice. The court decides child support.