Child Support Guidelines Worksheet Instructions

by Peace from Orlando, Florida, Orange County

Am I (the petitioner) supposed to send the respondent a copy of all the forms?

SECTION IV. CHILD SUPPORT GUIDLINES WORKSHEET has a section that states "I certify that a copty of this document was ( ) mailed ( ) faxed and mailed ( ) hand delivered to the person(s) listed below on {date} ___________________

Other party or his/her attorney
Name _________________________
Address ______________________
City, State, Zip _____________
Fax Number ___________________

I called the child support office and asked if this meant I was supposed to send a copy of everything to the respondent and they told me no do not send him anything that this meant for me to put my information here.

Is that correct? Maybe I am reading it wrong or just don't understand but it seems I am supposed to be entering someones information other than my own. Please help.

Answer to Florida Child Support Question

Dear Peace,

Yes it does get confusing.

The Child Support Guidelines Worksheet is impossible to fill out until you have the other party's Financial Affidavit.

You are correct in realizing that the form requests "someones information other than my own".

The computations that you must do to complete the worksheet require both of the parent's incomes.

You may have an older version of the form. I looked at the form for Child Support Guidelines Worksheet on the Florida Supreme Court's website, www.flcourts.org, and there is no item "IV."

However the instructions for that form state the following:

You should complete this worksheet if

child support is being requested in your case. If you know the income of the other party, this worksheet should accompany your financial affidavit.

If you do not know the other party’s income, this form must be completed after the other party files his or her financial affidavit, and serves a copy on you...

You should file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where your case is filed and keep a copy for your records...

A copy of this form must be mailed or hand delivered to the other party in your case, if it is not served on him or her with your initial papers.

Included with the form is the following notice, with signature lines following for both parties -- lines for your name and address; and lines for the other party or his/her attorney. So, yes, you need to file with the clerk of the court a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet; and send a copy to the other party.

Notice: We provide these answers to the general public and our website visitors as a means to further their online legal research. These answers are merely suggestions and should not be regarded as legal advice.

If you need legal advice, we recommend LagalMatch's free Lawyer Referral Service. Many lawyers offer free initial consultations. Get the legal advice you deserve.
Free Family Lawyer Referral

You Are Here → Home › Child Support FAQs › Child Support Guidelines Worksheet Instructions