Setting Up Temporary Child Support
Parents who decide to separate can expect a child custody agreement to be put in place before their divorce can be finalized. Accompanying such a plan will be a child support order, which details how much a non-custodial parent will need to pay to the custodial parent every month to financially support the child. While there will need to be a permanent and final child support order, courts are also willing to approve temporary child support agreements, which remain in effect only until a divorce is finalized.
What is Temporary Child Support?
Courts issue temporary child support orders during the divorce process to ensure that a child’s financial needs are met until the proceedings are over. These orders, which require one parent to pay a certain amount in support to the child’s other parent every month, aren’t permanent, but are only enforceable until a final child support order is put in place by the divorce decree.
The Importance of Temporary Child Support
It is important for parents who are going through a divorce to consider asking the court for temporary child support. While it only lasts for a finite amount of time, or until a final divorce decree is issued, it can play a critical role in helping cover important childcare-related expenses while a divorce is pending. Generally, a parent who knows that he or she will be acting as the primary caretaker during divorce, should request temporary child support during the initial divorce filing. Florida judges are usually responsive to such requests, as long as they are reasonable, as they must make a decision based on what would be in a child’s best interests. It is also possible for either party to ask the court to modify the temporary child support award, a request that will only be granted if there is evidence of a substantial change in circumstances. Circumstances that could warrant a modification of a temporary child support award include a job loss, promotion or demotion, or serious illness.
Calculating Temporary Child Support
Before asking for temporary child support, a petitioner should be sure to have certain evidence at hand, including proof of his or her income from pay stubs and tax returns, as well as proof of the other parent’s income. It’s also important to have a thorough understanding of childcare and health insurance-related expenses, so that proof of these expenses can be given to the court. Based on these numbers, the court will generally order a higher-earning, non-custodial parent to make monthly payments to the other child’s parent, at least until the divorce is finalized.
Speak with Dedicated Florida Child Support Lawyer Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. Today
Getting divorced can take a long time, so many couples must address certain issues before their proceedings are finalized. Temporary child support often falls under this category. To learn more about requesting temporary support while your own divorce is pending, reach out to dedicated Florida child support lawyer Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. at 954-945-7591 today.
Sources:
flcourts.org/content/download/403173/file/947a.pdf
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.30.html
