Testimonials

Polk County Child Support Attorney & Family Law Firm

At Fulmer Law, PA we are intimately familiar with the bond parents share with their children. Each and every employee at Fulmer Law has children of their own. If you are getting a divorce or are experiencing ongoing support issues, you need a child support attorney to provide a resolution. Mediation is typically mandated by the court to reach an understanding prior to the final court decision. Our attorneys also handle modifications of child support after a case has been closed.

Our child support lawyers, Art Fulmer, Jr. and Christal Holmes will obtain a multitude of financial documents that the courts require in child support cases. These documents help determine the amount of child support the court will use to meet your child’s needs. We are very familiar with child support guidelines and often draw them up favorably, without contention from the opposing side. Allow our team at Fulmer Law, PA to guide you through the process and obtain the documents that may otherwise be impossible to get without a court order or subpoena.

If Fulmer Law, PA did not represent you in your divorce and you are owed back child support, or can no longer pay what was ordered by the court in the past, you need one of our competent child support attorneys to modify your child support case. Call today for a consultation and let’s see what we can do for you.

Child Support Law

Major statutes important to the work of child support lawyers are the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (Title VI, Chapter 88) and Arbitration Code (Title XXXIX, Chapter 682). Other central laws are the Dissolution of Marriage, Support, and Time-Sharing (Title VI, Chapter 61); Determination of Parentage (Title XLIII, Chapter 742); and Temporary Custody of Minor Children by Extended Family (Title XLIII Chapter 751)provisions.

Child Support FAQ

Based on Florida law, child support is a court ordered payment by both parents of a child for the ongoing financial support of their children. Child support is often set up following a separation or dissolution of marriage. The idea behind child support is one that maintains that the children of divorced or separated families should be able to live as comfortably as they would if their parents had stayed together.

Child support is designed to cover the costs of the housing, food, clothing, health/medical and daycare needs of the child. However, as parents we all know that children require much more than just these basic essentials. Other child-related expenses can include: school tuition, extra-curricular activities, books, toys, etc. Don’t forget the teenage related expenses as well, computer, cell phone, car and insurance payments, prom/homecoming costs, athletics, etc.

At Fulmer Law, PA we are family focused and strive to provide our clients with expert legal advice to ensure that your children’s needs and best interests are taken care of. Contact us today and schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

The laws encompassing how child support works can be complicated and confusing. No two cases are alike based on the circumstances and unique facts of each case.

The court system determines the amount of child support based on the guidelines outlined in the Title VI 61.30 of the Florida Law. These guidelines help to figure out the amount of support needed to care for the child and the amount the parent has to pay.

Both parents fill out a financial affidavit and produce evidence of their income and child related expenses. A formula is then used combining the parties’ monthly net income, the child’s day care and health care expenses paid by the parties. The math formula will produce the amount owed based on this criteria, the number of the children, and (importantly) the number of overnights each parent has with the children.

You can estimate the amount of child support by using the Florida Child Support Calculator. The calculator will use the information you have entered to help give you an estimate. Remember that this is only an estimate, and the amount is subject to change based on the court and other factors that may not be included in your estimate.

It is highly recommended to secure legal representation early on in your child support case and call Fulmer Law, PA. for a consultation. Even if you do not hire Mr. Fulmer to represent you, the legal advice he/she will provide during your consultation will give you an idea of what you are up against and help you plan for the future.

Child support laws and guidelines are designed so that payments are used for the benefit of the child. However, courts typically don’t mandate how the child support payments are to be spent. Unless there is substantial evidence that the receiving parent is neglecting the child or involved in criminal acidity. The money the custodial parent (the parent who has the most time with the child) receives can be spent in any way they choose.

Expenses child support is used for include:

  • Basic food, clothing and shelter costs –including gas, electricity, water, rent
  • Medical care and related insurance expenses
  • Educational fees – including uniforms, tuition, textbooks, lunch money, private tutors
  • Childcare fees – including day care, babysitting, nannies
  • Entertainment expenses – including computers, television programs, internet access, outings, etc.
  • Transportation and travel expenses – including the cost to maintain a car, gas fees, car payments, car insurance, vehicle registration, bus passes, etc.
  • Extracurricular activities – activities that fall outside of regular school hours including summer camps, sports activities, dance, Girl Scouts, and other non-school related activities
  • College expenses – in some circumstances the court may require a noncustodial parent to contribute to the cost of college, even after the child has reached mature age.

Call the Family Law team at Fulmer Law, PA 863.457.2834 to schedule a consultation and discuss your child support concerns. We promise to provide reliable legal advice for your child support case.

When you are looking for information on how to get child support, it is a good idea to start with reliable legal advice from an experienced child support lawyer. To begin, you must file the necessary documents with your local child support office. The legal paperwork and filing process can be complicated. Our experienced family law legal team will guide you through the process and make sure all your questions are answered.

See our answers to how to file for child support to learn more about the process and call for a consultation with one of our attorneys at Fulmer Law, P.A. today!

Delinquent child support payments, also called “back child support,” is money owed that has not been paid. It starts from the date of the petition. For example, if a petition for child support is filed Jan 1, 2020 and child support is not set or finalized until July 1, 2020, the back child support will be for the previous 6 months. Back child support also includes late or missed child support payments that have been ordered by a court. Parents who are late or have missed child support payments must pay the debt in full, including any applicable fees and interest charges.

To begin the process of petitioning for back child support, call for a consultation with one of our attorneys at Fulmer Law, P.A. today!

One of the most frequently asked child support question we receive from our clients is “How much child support will I get?” The answer depends on several factors. You will receive the amount of child support ordered by the court after considering all the factors in Florida Statute 61.30. The Court will also use the Guidelines provided by the State of Florida.

To arrive at the amount, the court uses the financial affidavit worksheets and the evidence provided by each parent for monthly child-related expenses including (but not limited to) childcare, medical insurance, and the number of overnights the child/children spend with each parent.

The team at Fulmer Law, P.A. has the vast experience to calculate the amount. We can give you an idea of what you may be obligated to pay during your consultation. Call now!

A child support payment can be modified or changed at any time. In order to qualify you must be able to show a substantial change in circumstances. One of our attorneys at Fulmer Law, P.A. can help you gather evidence to support the loss of a job, termination of a child’s attendance at daycare, an increase in the cost of health insurance or child care, the disability of a parent, more time with the child(ren), and/or a substantial increase or decrease (typically 15% or greater) in either parent’s net income. These permanent changes have to have lasted or anticipated to last for one or more years.

It is imperative that a petition to modify child support be made as soon as your family circumstances change. You should never stop or reduce your child support payments without this petition. The changes to payment will only be effective as of the modification filing date. If child support was established based upon both parents having equal time sharing with the children, and one parent stops participating in that time sharing, then child support may be modified retroactively from the date when that parent stopped participating in his or her time sharing responsibilities.

Our team at Fulmer Law, P.A. can help initiate and complete the process for modifying your child support payments. Let’s talk more about your case soon. Schedule a consultation today!

There are several ways to pay child support. Child support is either paid directly, or by Income Withholding Order (IWO) which deducts from your paycheck. The money is sent to Florida’s Disbursement Unit in Tallahassee and then to the recipient.

For more information about how to pay child support payments, visit the Florida Department of Revenue website.

You should always make your child support payments on time in order to avoid fees and penalties. The amount you will be required to pay is determined by the courts and their review of all the factors detailed in Florida Statute 61.03.

The attorneys at Fulmer Law, P.A. can easily explain the Florida Statute and the Guidelines the State of Florida uses to determine child support. We can even give you an idea of how much it will cost you per month. Call today for a conversation with one of our attorneys.

To understand more about how much child support you should pay, read this information on how everything works.

A parent must establish parental rights relative to parental responsibility and time sharing either through mediation or with the Court. Paying child support does not grant time sharing or parental responsibility to the parent in any way. They are completely unrelated to one another and a petition for a time-sharing schedule and parental responsibility must be established if you are seeking to have the right to visit or make decisions about the educational, health, and overall well-being of your child. We can help you protect your parental rights.

If you want to know more about your rights, call Fulmer Law, PA. for a consultation. Even if you do not hire Mr. Fulmer to represent you, the legal advice he/she will provide during your consultation will give you an idea of what you are up against and help you plan for the future.

Child support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school. Most people do not know that child support can extend past 18 years old to end when the child graduates high school (if that is before the age of 19).

In Florida, if your child is special needs and is not able to become a self-sustaining adult, then child support will last for the life of the child. It is critical that you recognize the special needs status of your child in the text of the final court order with a child support modification. If your child reaches the age of 18/ 19 and payments end, you cannot reopen the case for continued child support of your special needs child.

If you need to know more about child support, call Fulmer Law, PA. for a consultation. Even if you do not hire Mr. Fulmer to represent you, the legal advice he will provide during your consultation will give you an idea of what you are up against and help you plan for the future.

First, and most importantly, YOU MUST NEVER STOP PAYING CHILD SUPPORT WITHOUT CONSULTING AN ATTORNEY. The financial and legal ramifications can be dire. It is VERY important to consult an attorney before deciding to withhold your child support payments. An experienced attorney at Fulmer Law, P.A. will answer your questions during your first consultation. You and your attorney must draw up the correct plan for you to stop or reduce your payments without serious penalty.

If both parents agree to end the child support payments, you may be able to end them with a court order. Even if the other parent does not agree, but your situation has greatly changed since the child support was ordered, you could end the payments with a court order. For example, if your child(ren) spend more time with you than was agreed upon when child support was ordered, you may be able to stop paying child support. If you pay for expenses that were not calculated in the original order, you may also have a chance to stop your child support payments.

The Court must be made aware of any new agreement between parents. Even if you have a verbal agreement with the other parent, they can come back to you in the future and ask for back child support and it may be granted in court.

If you want to know more about how stop paying child support, call Fulmer Law, PA. for a consultation. Even if you do not hire Mr. Fulmer to represent you, the legal advice he will provide during your consultation will give you an idea of what you are up against and help you plan for the future.

If you feel that you cannot afford child support payments, or they are unfair, you may have options. Call the team at Fulmer Law, P.A. for your consultation. We can assess your case with our vast experience relating to child support law.

If you had the child(ren) with your spouse during marriage and there is no doubt the children are yours, you may pay less child support when you spend more time with your child(ren)! It is a win/win when you are wondering how to avoid paying child support. When parents have 50/50 or “equal time-sharing,” and they both earn a similar income, it is possible that neither parent will be required to pay child support, or one parent may pay very little.

Other options to reduce or eliminate child support payments include paying for your child(ren)’s expenses, such as healthcare and/or daycare expenses.

If you feel it is unfair to pay child support, we can guide you using the Guidelines provided by the State of Florida. We will use our vast experience in family law and find ways to help you.

Schedule a consultation today with an experienced family law attorney at Fulmer Law, P.A. to see how you may reduce or even eliminate your child support payments.

If your child was born out-of-wedlock, Mr. Fulmer will first file a paternity case, which includes a paternity test, to be completed. You will not be required to pay child support if the child born out-of-wedlock is not your biological child. If you do not obtain an attorney’s advice and you are left without representation, a court-order may be coming your way to pay until the child becomes an adult.

If you are married during the birth of the child, but have doubts the child is yours, child support will still be on the table. A paternity case may be filed, which includes a paternity test. If the child is found to be someone else’s child, our attorney will review your specific case details during your consultation and then file the proper documents in court to avoid paying child support.

If you are questioning whether or not a child is yours and the mother of the child is demanding child support, call Fulmer Law today for a consultation, as specific details of each case and outcome may vary. Art Fulmer’s vast experience and knowledge will give you an idea of what you are up against. Again, it is important to act now because a court-order may be coming your way to pay until the child becomes an adult regardless of your doubts. Call today for a consultation!

 

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