Florida Child Support Estimator
Runs the actual statutory formula — the s.61.30 schedule and the Form 12.902(e) gross-up method — on the numbers you enter. Educational: it shows the math, it does not predict your order.
Father
Gross monthly income (auto-calculated) $0.00Sum of the income rows above
Net monthly income (auto-calculated) $0.00Gross minus the deductions above
Mother
Gross monthly income (auto-calculated) $0.00Sum of the income rows above
Net monthly income (auto-calculated) $0.00Gross minus the deductions above
Payer's share of combined net (auto-calculated) 0.0%
Frequently asked
Is this the same formula Florida courts use?
It is the same statutory calculation: the s.61.30 guideline schedule from Florida Family Law Form 12.902(e), including the substantial time-sharing gross-up method that applies when each parent has at least 73 overnights a year. The result is the presumptive guideline for the numbers you enter.
Why does the result say my combined income must be NET?
The guideline schedule runs on combined monthly net income — after taxes and the deductions s.61.30(3) allows (such as mandatory retirement payments and the child's health insurance). Entering gross salary instead of net is the most common mistake and can change the result significantly.
Is the estimate what a court will order?
No. It is the presumptive guideline for your inputs, not a prediction. Courts may deviate from the guideline for statutory reasons, and the real number depends on facts this tool cannot verify — actual incomes, actual costs, and the time-sharing schedule the parents settle on.
Does a mediator calculate child support for me?
No. A mediator facilitates the parties' own agreement and does not perform legal calculations for either side. What mediation does settle is the inputs — incomes, costs, and the schedule — that the guideline depends on. Bring this estimate as a starting point, not a conclusion.
What this tool does and doesn’t do
It computes the presumptive guideline amount under Florida’s statutory formula for the figures you provide, using the official schedule and the same worksheet method the courts’ Form 12.902(e) uses — including the gross-up calculation when each parent has at least 73 overnights a year. It does not verify your numbers, predict what a court will order, or constitute legal advice. Courts can deviate from the guideline for reasons the statute lists.
Allowed vs. non‑allowed deductions
The Florida child‑support guideline (s. 61.30) starts with gross income and subtracts only the following:
- Federal, state, and local income tax
- Self‑employment tax
- Mandatory retirement contributions (required by employment)
- Court‑ordered support actually paid for another family
- Health insurance premiums for the child(ren)
- Required uniforms
- Union dues
Common payroll items that are not deductible (and therefore remain part of gross income) include:
- Voluntary retirement savings (401(k), 403(b), IRA, deferred compensation, ESPP/ESOP, stock options, etc.)
- Voluntary health‑insurance premiums for the party or spouse (unless it is the child’s coverage listed above)
- Life‑insurance premiums
- Charitable contributions
- Miscellaneous personal expenses (e.g., gym memberships, entertainment, travel)
Where the number really comes from
The guideline formula itself is fixed; almost everything interesting in mediation is the inputs — each parent’s actual income, the real cost of child-related expenses, and the time-sharing schedule. What’s actually negotiable in child support →
If you’re heading toward mediation, here’s how it works →
This estimator is provided for education only. Sun State Mediator does not provide legal advice or calculate guideline amounts for parties as a service — the estimator simply runs the public statutory formula. Figures you enter are not stored or logged.