How to lower child support in Florida

The Florida test, in plain words

Threshold: Recalculated guideline differs by at least 15 percent or $50, whichever amount is greater (Fla. Stat. §61.30(1)(b))

The schedule in Fla. Stat. §61.30(6) runs to $10,000 a month of combined net income; above that, the top schedule amount plus a percentage of the excess (5.0% for one child up to 12.5% for six). At 73 or more overnights a year, the §61.30(11)(b) adjustment is mandatory. The Department of Revenue review tiers in FAC 12E-1.041 are alternatives in both branches — at 3 years or more, a change of at least 10% or at least $25; under 3 years, at least 15% or at least $50 — and both tiers also require a permanent, involuntary change.

Agency route: Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Program — DOR review (Title IV-D cases). Court route: Circuit court —

One trap to know: No equivalent shortcut-killer found in §61.30(1)(b); the 15%/$50 test is the gate either way (Fla. Stat. §61.30(1)(b))

Exactness: EXACT when net incomes are fixed under §61.30(3), the §61.30(6) schedule row is used, and overnights are undisputed.

Run the Florida checker

Your stateTexasCaliforniaFloridaNew YorkIllinoisOhioAnother state

What you pay now ($ / month)

Children in this case123456

Months since the order was made or last changed

Texas

Your monthly net resources ($)Net resources as Texas defines them (Tex. Fam. Code §154.062). The $11,700 monthly cap is applied for you.

Children you support in other households01234567Uses the §154.129 multiple-family adjusted percentages.

California — ESTIMATE only, permanently

Your monthly net disposable income ($)

Other parent's monthly net disposable income ($)

Your timeshare (%)

California's formula (Fam. Code §4055) turns on actual tax liability and approximate timeshare, so no California figure on this site is ever labeled exact.

Florida

Combined monthly net income, both parents ($)

Your monthly net income ($)

Your overnights per yearAt 73 or more overnights, the §61.30(11)(b) adjustment is mandatory and is applied.

New York

Combined parental income ($ / year)

Your gross income ($ / year)

Mandatory add-ons ($ / year: health insurance, unreimbursed medical, childcare)

Change in either parent's gross income since the order (%)

The basic obligation below the $193,000 combined cap is computed. The payable amount is always labeled ESTIMATE — add-ons and above-cap discretion sit on top.

Illinois

Your monthly gross income ($)Converted with the 2026 HFS gross-to-net table (effective 2026-03-20).

Other parent's monthly gross income ($)

Your overnights per yearAt 146 overnights each, the §505(a)(3.8) shared-care formula applies and is used.

Ohio

Combined gross income, both parents ($ / year)Run through the §3119.021 bracket formula.

Your gross income ($ / year)

Run my state's test

Track B — the evidence checklist (never scored)

• Substantial change in circumstances
• For DOR route: permanent, involuntary change documented (FAC 12E-1.041, both tiers per rule text)
• Termination letter / unemployment filing / final pay stub
• Before/after pay stubs and employer letter
• SSA determination / physician statement
• Overnight log — 12-month calendar with the 73-overnight line marked
• Health-insurance premium statements
• Dated job-search log (permanent + involuntary showing)

Sources

• FL guideline-as-substantial-change — Fla. Stat. §61.30(1)(b) — REPRINT-VERIFIED, re-pull official at build
• FL modification / retroactivity — Fla. Stat. §61.14
• FL DOR review tiers — FAC 12E-1.041 (full text reproduced in sizing)
• FL guideline schedule — Fla. Stat. §61.30(6)
• FL forms — Fla. Family Law Forms 12.902(e), 12.905(b) — flcourts.gov

Rules checked October 2026.