If you are a parent, you know that raising a child, while often the joy of a lifetime, can be costly. Generally, you must provide your children with a safe place to live, food and water, clothing and other basic necessities. There are, however, numerous other expenses, including costs for medical treatment and care, education and extracurricular activity fees, and entertainment expenses.
To ensure that these costs are covered and your child’s needs are met, family law judges in Florida can order you, or you and the other parent to make child support payments. Under Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes, a numeric formula is used to establish the amounts of such awards. The formula gives consideration to each of your incomes as well as your time-sharing arrangements and certain expenses.
In this post, we will discuss the effects that inaccurate information can have on the determination of child support awards.
A computer generated amount, child support awards can be skewed significantly by information that is not correct. For example, if the other parent under reports their income, the amount of their payments could be reduced. By the same token, the same parent could over report the child’s expenses, which could increase the amount that you are ordered to pay. In some cases, the other parent may intentionally provide inaccurate information, while in others the inaccuracy is the result of a change in circumstances. This could include being fired, promoted or hired by a new employer.
When incorrect information is used in the formula to determine a child support award, it can result in serious hardships for you and your children. In cases when the other parent is paying less than he or she should, it can put an undue financial strain on your budget, and potentially create a situation where you are unable to meet your child’s needs.
To learn more about how to handle family law issues, please visit our alimony and child support page.
