When you start to set terms for visitation or child custody, you will probably focus most on what works for your schedule and the desire to spend as much time with your kids as possible. What you might not realize is that the terms that you request for child custody could have a direct impact on how much child support you wind up paying.
The better you understand the relationship between custody and support, the easier it will be to make informed decisions about your Florida custody case.
More parenting time often means lower financial obligations
There was a time when the courts would select one parent as the primary custodial parent, but current practices favor a more even split of parental rights and responsibilities. Generally speaking, child support is a means for a parent who spends less time with the children to contribute to their maintenance and stability.
The more overnight stays a parent has with their children, the less they will likely have to pay in child support. In other words, increasing your parenting time doesn’t just mean that you get to spend more time with your kids, but also that less of your paycheck will likely go toward their maintenance.
Quite a few different factors influence how much child support the courts order, including any special needs the child has, unusual costs or expenses they incur and both the parenting time and income of their parents. Parents have the right to both seek appropriate initial custody and support orders, as well as to request a modification in the event that family circumstances change and thereby alter their obligations.