Child Support Lawyer in Coral Gables, Florida
Whether you’re trying to get an order established, enforce one that isn’t being followed, or modify terms that no longer make sense, a child support lawyer can help you stop guessing and start moving forward.
At Feinstein & Mendez, P.A., we work with parents throughout Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County who are navigating exactly these situations. Here’s what you need to know.
Florida Uses a Formula—But It's Not as Simple as It Sounds
Florida calculates child support using what’s called an income shares model, laid out in Florida Statute § 61.30. The idea is straightforward: both parents contribute to the child’s needs in proportion to what they earn—just as they would if they were still together.
In practice, the calculation pulls in a lot of moving parts:
- Both parents’ net incomes after taxes, health insurance, and mandatory deductions
- How many overnights the child spends with each parent
- Childcare costs tied to work or school
- Health insurance premiums paid on the child’s behalf
- Agreed-upon extras like private school tuition or ongoing medical expenses
The statute produces a baseline number, but courts can adjust it when following the formula to the letter would produce an unfair result. That’s where having someone in your corner—who knows how to present your circumstances clearly—makes a real difference.
If There's No Order Yet, Getting One Is Step One
A lot of parents operate on informal arrangements after a separation. One parent pays what they can, when they can, and both sides hope it works out. It usually doesn’t—at least not long-term.
Without a court order, there’s no enforceable obligation. If the other parent stops paying, you have no legal ground to stand on. Getting a formal order in place protects your child and gives both parents clarity about what’s expected.
We help with the full process: pulling together the financial documentation needed to calculate support accurately, addressing paternity if it hasn’t been legally established, and presenting your case to the court in a way that reflects your child’s actual needs.
Life Changes—and Child Support Orders Can Too
A support order that made sense two years ago may not make sense today. Florida law allows either parent to request a modification when there’s been a substantial change in circumstances—something significant, material, and in most cases, involuntary.
Common reasons parents come to us for modifications:
- A major income change for either parent
- A job loss or new employment situation
- A shift in the timesharing schedule that changes overnight counts
- Significantly higher childcare or medical costs
Under Florida Statute § 61.30(1)(b), a change that results in at least a 15% difference—or $50 per month, whichever is greater—from the current order is generally enough to support a modification request. If you think your order needs to change, or if you’re on the receiving end of a modification request you want to challenge, we can help you evaluate your options.
When the Other Parent Isn't Paying
Unpaid child support doesn’t disappear. It accumulates as arrears, and Florida law allows interest to build on overdue amounts. The longer it goes unaddressed, the messier it gets.
Florida courts have real tools to enforce support orders:
- Income withholding orders that pull support directly from an employer’s payroll
- License suspension—driver’s licenses and professional licenses alike
- Contempt of court proceedings that can result in fines or jail time for willful non-payment
- Seizure of tax refunds through state and federal enforcement programs
If you’re owed support that isn’t coming, waiting rarely solves the problem. There are clear legal steps available to you.
Child Support and Custody Are More Connected Than Most People Realize
The number of overnights your child spends with each parent feeds directly into the support calculation. Which means when a custody arrangement changes—even informally—the support figure often needs to change with it.
We handle both areas of family law, so if you’re working through a parenting plan and a support question at the same time, you don’t have to coordinate between different attorneys or worry that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.
We Know This Court
Our office is in Coral Gables, and we regularly appear in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court, which handles family law matters for all of Miami-Dade County. That familiarity—with the judges, the local rules, the culture of the courthouse—is something you can’t replicate from a distance.
If you’re a parent in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, or anywhere else in Miami-Dade, we’re close by and ready to help.
Talk to a Child Support Lawyer Who Gets It
Child support questions are rarely one-size-fits-all. The right answer depends on your income, your parenting schedule, your history with the other parent, and a dozen other details that only come out in a real conversation.
Contact Feinstein & Mendez, P.A. to schedule a consultation and find out exactly where you stand.
