How Does Parental Timesharing Affect Child Support?

Since 2011 when a new child support bill was signed and put into effect in the state of Florida, parental timesharing has had a majoreffect on the amount of child support paid. Prior to this bill, the primary parent would receive child support based only on need, no matter how many nights the other parent kept their minor child. Now, child support takes into account how many nights each parent keeps a minor child and figures the amount paid accordingly.  Read More Lawyer For Timeshare.

It is important to remember that amount of time spent with a minor child doesn’t count unless the child spends the night. A parent can spend five days a week with their child but if there are no overnights child support amount will not be affected.

In Florida, there is no longer a primary and secondary designation given to a parent following a separation or divorce. Instead, the concept of parental timesharing is used with the hope each parent can provide 50% of a child’s care and nurturing. Basically,this means each parent would have their child 50% or half of the time which usually reduces child support considerably as the court now takes into account that each parent is providing equal care and so equal cost.

A parenting plan is required as part of the parental timesharing legislation. In this plan, it will be detailed as to how many nights will be spent with each parent during a year.

When the number of nights reaches 20% or higher, that is 73 or more nights in a year, a reduction in child support will occur. The higher the percentage of nights spent with their minor child, the less the child support is the general rule.  It does not mean, however, that if a parent spends 20% of the nights in a year with their child, that child support will be reduced by 20%. Once the required parenting plan is completed by the parents, or a judge if the parents cannot agree, all the information will be put into a computer which will compute the amount of child support to be paid based on a complex formula set forth in the Florida Statutes.

Florida Family Court strives to make decisions for minor children who must endure a separation or divorce of their parents, whether the parents ever married or even lived together, that consider what is in the best interest of the child. In fact, “in the best interest of the child” has become a motto for guidelines and legal decisions involving minor children. Parents are required to put their children first and unless there is proof they cannot do so (unfit parents would include those on drugs, those with child abuse or domestic violence convictions, those in jail, or those with severe mental or physical problems) the courts will insist the parents do so or be in contempt. While reduced child support is a benefit for a parent, the child usually benefits the most from parental timesharing by having not one but two involved parents.

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Created on Dec 26th 2018 03:08. Viewed 511 times.

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