Section 61.30, Florida Statutes is sets for criteria for establishing and setting child support in Florida. Florida Family Law lawyers utilize this statute to advise clients as to the respective rights and obligations as to child support
. When calculating or determining child support, the Court will review the monthly income of each parent which includes the following:
1. Salary or wages.
2. Bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime, tips, and other similar payments.
3. Business income from sources such as self-employment, partnership, close corporations, and independent contracts. "Business income" means gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses required to produce income.
4. Disability benefits.
5. All workers' compensation benefits and settlements.
6. Unemployment compensation.
7. Pension, retirement, or annuity payments.
8. Social security benefits.
9. Spousal support received from a previous marriage or court ordered in the marriage before the court.
10. Interest and dividends.
11. Rental income, which is gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses required to produce the income.
12. Income from royalties, trusts, or estates.
13. Reimbursed expenses or in kind payments to the extent that they reduce living expenses.
14. Gains derived from dealings in property, unless the gain is nonrecurring.
At times, it can be challenging to determine a parent's income when the parent is self employed or has a job that commission based or income that otherwise fluctuates. A Florida Family Law lawyer can assist the client with this issues with an analysis of bank records, credit card statements, investment documents, employee files, tax returns, and other financial documents. In certain cases, a Forensic Accountant is helpful in analyzing the financial information to determine income in order to calculate child support guidelines pursuant to Section 61.30, Florida Statutes.
