Florida calculator
Florida: how it works and FAQ
How the Florida calculator works
Florida uses an income shares model (Fla. Stat. §61.30). Each parent's net income is figured under §61.30(2)-(3), the two are added, and the basic amount for that combined income and number of children is read from the schedule in §61.30(6). Each parent owes a share of that amount in proportion to their share of the combined income (§61.30(9)-(10)).
Child care is added at 100% (§61.30(7)), and the children's health insurance at the cost of covering the children only (§61.30(8); §61.13(1)(b)). When each parent has at least 73 overnights a year, the substantial time-sharing method in §61.30(11)(b) applies.
The result is shown in the line order of Form 12.902(e), with a citation on every number, plus the steps the statute takes after the worksheet and, if you include it, the §61.08 durational alimony ceiling.
How we check it
Checked line by line against Fla. Stat. §61.30 and Form 12.902(e), with every number cited. All 1,110 chart cells were checked against the statute.
The engine's computations are covered by CleanCalc's automated test suite, which runs on every change.
What it doesn't do
It is not legal advice and does not replace the advice of a lawyer. CleanCalc is not affiliated with the Florida courts or The Florida Bar.
The $29 PDF is an estimate that follows the line order of Form 12.902(e) so you can find each number. It is not the form, cannot be filed, and is in English.
It does not compute a deviated amount, an imputed income, retroactive support, or an alimony award. Those are for the court (§61.30(1)(a), (2)(b), (17); §61.08(2)(a)).
Frequently asked questions
How does Florida calculate child support?
By income shares (Fla. Stat. §61.30). The parents' net incomes are combined, the basic amount is read from the §61.30(6) schedule for that income and number of children, and each parent's share follows their share of the combined income (§61.30(9)-(10)).
What counts as income, and what is deducted?
Income is listed in §61.30(2)(a): wages, self-employment profit, benefits, rent, interest and more. Allowed deductions are in §61.30(3): income tax actually owed (not paycheck withholding), Social Security and Medicare tax, mandatory union dues and retirement, the parent's own health insurance, and court-ordered support or alimony paid.
Why might my number differ from another calculator by a few dollars?
The §61.30(6) schedule lists amounts in $50 steps of combined income and does not say how to read between rows. CleanCalc reads the row at or below your combined income and shows the straight-line figure beside it whenever the two differ by more than $1.
What happens at 73 overnights?
When each parent has at least 73 overnights a year (20%), the substantial time-sharing method in §61.30(11)(b) applies. It multiplies the basic amount by 1.5 and weighs each parent's share by the other parent's overnights. The figure can go up or down at 73; when an overnight count is between 68 and 78, CleanCalc shows the results at 72 and 73 side by side, for information only.
What if a parent's income is low?
When the paying parent's net income is under $800 a month, §61.30(6)(a) gives a case-by-case range instead of a single figure, and CleanCalc shows that range. When the parents' combined net income is under $800 a month, the statute gives no amount, and CleanCalc shows none.
How are child care and health insurance handled?
Child care is added to the basic amount at 100% (§61.30(7)). Health insurance is added at the cost of covering the children only (§61.30(8); §61.13(1)(b)). Each parent is then credited for what they already pay.
Is alimony included?
Only as a ceiling. If you include it, CleanCalc shows the most durational alimony can be under §61.08(8)(c), the marriage-length band and the time limits for each type. It never computes an award; a court decides whether any alimony is owed (§61.08(2)(a)).
Is this the official form?
No. The PDF follows the line order of Form 12.902(e) so you can find each number, but it is a CleanCalc estimate, not the form, and it cannot be filed. The official forms are on flcourts.gov.
Can a court order a different amount?
Yes. A court may order an amount within 5% of the guideline figure after considering all relevant factors, and may deviate further after considering the factors listed in §61.30(11)(a) (§61.30(1)(a)). CleanCalc lists those factors for information and applies none of them.
Do refundable tax credits count as income?
CleanCalc leaves refundable credits out of net income by default, because §61.30(3)(a) deducts tax actually owed, and shows the result with them counted beside it. A court can weigh them under §61.30(11)(a)8. This is CleanCalc's reading of the statute, labelled as such.
Questions that apply in every state are on the general FAQ.