Can Child Support in Fort Lauderdale Be Modified If Parenting Time Changes?

Parenting time and child support go hand in hand. When one changes, the other often needs to be adjusted too. If you have a Fort Lauderdale parenting plan in place and the other parent fails to follow it, can child support be modified to reflect these changes?

The short answer is yes. Under the Florida Statutes, child support payments can be changed or modified if there is what the court considers a substantial change in circumstances. Shifts in parenting time often meet that threshold. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale child support lawyer provides trusted legal guidance throughout the process of requesting modifications and protects your rights each step of the way.

How Parenting Time Affects Fort Lauderdale Child Support

In calculating child support in Fort Lauderdale, courts rely on the Income Shares Model. It is a formula that factors each parent’s income, the amount of time the child spends in their home, and expenses such as health insurance and childcare.

When these factors change, the calculation often changes too. The following are examples of when child support modifications may be appropriate:

• One parent takes on more overnight stays than the original parenting plan allowed.
• The court approves a change giving one parent the majority of time-sharing.
• A parent stops exercising their scheduled parenting time, shifting more responsibility to the other parent.
• Work or school schedules cause a long-term adjustment in overnights.
• Relocation or other lifestyle changes result in a new division of parenting time.

Under Section 61.30 of the Florida Statutes, the change must typically reduce or increase child support by at least 15 percent or $50 to qualify as “substantial.”

How to Request Child Support Modifications in Broward County

If your parenting schedule has changed, the court won’t automatically adjust child support amounts. Legal steps you need to take to request child support modifications in Broward County include:

• File a Supplemental Petition with the court to modify child support.
• Provide evidence of changes in parenting time, such as calendars, school records, or written agreements.
• Update financial disclosures to reflect current income, childcare, or insurance costs.
• Demonstrate the impact of the new parenting arrangement on your child’s needs and expenses.
• Work with an experienced Fort Lauderdale child support modification lawyer to anticipate objections and present a clear case to the judge.

Keep in mind the court will only approve a modification if changes are substantial, ongoing, and in the child’s best interests.

Consult Our Experienced Fort Lauderdale Child Support Lawyer Today

Parenting time often evolves as children grow and schedules change, and Fort Lauderdale child support orders should reflect those changes. Whether you’re receiving too little support because you have more time with your child or paying too much because your co-parent isn’t honoring their schedule, you have legal options.

At Vanessa L. Prieto Law Offices, we help parents in Fort Lauderdale petition for modifications that update and align child support payments with current circumstances. To get the legal support you need, consult our experienced Fort Lauderdale child support lawyer. Call or contact us online today.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.30.html

flcourts.gov/Resources-Services/Office-of-Family-Courts/History-of-Family-Courts-in-Florida/Family-Law-Forms/Supplemental-Modification-Petitions-12.905-Forms-A-C/Supplemental-Petition-for-Modification-of-Child-Support