An estimate, not the official number. This tool applies the Florida § 61.30 guidelines for planning purposes. It is not legal advice, and it is not the court's calculation — a judge uses the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form 12.902(e)) and can deviate. Use this to get in the ballpark, then confirm your figure with the worksheet or an attorney.
Estimate your child support
How Florida calculates child support
Florida uses an income-shares model: it estimates what the parents would have spent on the children together, then splits that between them in proportion to income. The steps:
Find each parent's net income
Gross income minus taxes and allowable deductions, then add the two together.
Look up the basic obligation
Florida's § 61.30(6) schedule gives a base support amount for that combined income and number of children.
Split it by income share
Each parent is responsible for the percentage of the obligation that matches their share of the combined income.
Adjust for overnights
If each parent has the children at least 20% of overnights, a gross-up formula rebalances the amount.
Add child care & health costs
These are added to the obligation and split by the same income shares.
What counts as income
The guidelines run on net income, not gross. Gross income includes wages, bonuses, self-employment income, disability and unemployment benefits, pensions, rental and investment income, and more. From that you subtract allowable deductions — income taxes, FICA/self-employment tax, mandatory union dues and retirement, court-ordered support for other children, and health insurance for yourself (not the kids). The result is the net income you enter above. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, a court can impute income.
How overnights change the number
Time-sharing matters. When each parent has the children for at least 20% of the year's overnights (about 73 nights), Florida applies a gross-up adjustment: the basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, each parent's share is cross-applied against the other parent's overnight percentage, and the difference is what changes hands. Below that 20% threshold, the parent with fewer overnights simply pays their income-share of the obligation. This is why two families with identical incomes can owe very different amounts.
Child care and health insurance
Work-related child care and the children's health insurance premium aren't in the base schedule — they're added on top of the obligation and divided by the same income percentages. Whichever parent actually pays those bills is credited, so the other parent reimburses their share. The calculator above lets you enter both and choose who pays them.
Why your real number may differ
Treat the estimate as a starting point, not a ruling. Your actual order can differ because: net income involves tax details this tool simplifies; a judge can deviate from the guideline amount (up or down, with written reasons); very low incomes fall under a special minimum-support rule; and incomes above $10,000 combined net per month use an added-percentage formula. The binding number comes from the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet filed with your case.
Divorcing with children?
Child support is one piece of a Florida divorce with kids — you'll also need a parenting plan and, if you agree, an uncontested filing. If you and your co-parent agree on the schedule and support, Amicably prepares your entire divorce packet, child-support worksheet included, for a flat $99. See filing for divorce with a child and our guide to getting divorced with kids in Florida.
Divorcing with children? Check if you qualify
If you agree on parenting and support, we'll prepare your complete Florida divorce — worksheet and all — for a flat $99.
Check if you qualifyFrequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Florida?
Florida uses an income-shares model under Statute § 61.30. It combines both parents' net incomes, looks up a basic support obligation on the state schedule for that income and number of children, splits it by each parent's income share, and adjusts for the number of overnights and for child care and health insurance costs.
Is this Florida child support calculator accurate?
It applies the official § 61.30 guidelines schedule and formula, so it gets you a close estimate. It is not the binding number — that comes from the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet filed with the court, and a judge can deviate. Tax details and low- or high-income special rules can also shift the result.
Does overnight time-sharing lower child support in Florida?
It can. When each parent has the children at least 20% of overnights (about 73 nights a year), Florida applies a gross-up adjustment that factors both parents' time into the amount. More equal time-sharing generally reduces the transfer between parents, though income differences still matter.
What income is used for Florida child support?
Net income — each parent's gross income minus allowable deductions like taxes, FICA, mandatory retirement and union dues, and court-ordered support for other children. Gross income includes wages, self-employment income, bonuses, and many benefits. A court can impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
How much is child support for 1 child in Florida?
It depends entirely on combined net income and time-sharing. As a rough sense of scale, the guideline basic obligation for one child ranges from a couple hundred dollars a month at low combined incomes to around $1,400 near $10,000 combined net monthly income — before adjustments. Use the calculator above for your own figures.
Can parents agree on a different child support amount?
Parents can propose an amount, but the court reviews it against the guidelines and must approve any deviation, because child support is considered the child's right. You can't simply waive it. An agreed amount that matches the guidelines is routinely approved.
Official sources
Florida Statutes § 61.30 — Child support guidelines
Florida Courts — Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form 12.902(e))
Reviewed by the Amicably document team
Amicably is a Florida registered legal document preparation service. We prepare uncontested Florida divorce packets with children — including the child support guidelines worksheet — from the official Florida Supreme Court–approved forms. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice; this calculator is an educational estimate, not the court's official calculation.