Before taking any further action when a child is born to unmarried parents, fatherhood must be established. The child’s purported father may voluntarily acknowledge that he is the child’s father (ren). A court hearing or paternity test is set for the case if he denies paternity. The alleged father, the child’s mother, and the child are all tested when a paternity test is required.

If your financial situation or the financial situation of the parent who owes support significantly changes after the support order is established, it may be modified. If you ask for a change, the sum will be recalculated following criteria established by Florida law. Typically, a court only receives a petition for modification when the guidelines indicate that the amount should increase by at least 15% or $50 per month, whichever is higher. There might be more limitations if this is an interstate case (involving another state). Even if the parent who owes support will pay less, we must see the process through to its conclusion once it has begun.

The Child Support Program collaborates with child support offices in other states when the parent who is owed support and the parent who is due support reside in different states. The child support enforcement office and court system of the referred state must be permitted to handle the case according to their respective timelines when this kind of case is sent there.

The United States and the State of Florida have also entered into international agreements with many other nations.