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tina.lewert@lewertlaw.com

301 Yamato Rd #4110, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States

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Boca Raton Divorce Lawyer and Family Attorney

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561-544-6861

Board Certified Boca Raton Child Support Lawyer

When a relationship ends and children are involved, few worries cut deeper than how you will provide for them. A Boca Raton child support lawyer who is Board Certified by The Florida Bar, Tina L. Lewert helps parents establish, calculate, modify, and enforce support.

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How a Boca Raton Child Support Attorney Can Help

Whether you are married and going through a divorce or are unmarried co-parents who are separating, child support is one of the most important issues you will resolve. It can also be one of the most stressful, especially when you and your co-parent cannot agree, which is when a knowledgeable child support lawyer Boca Raton families trust becomes invaluable. Lewert Law brings focused, certified experience to the part of family law that most directly affects your child’s day-to-day life.

Child support questions rarely come up in isolation. They are usually tangled up with time-sharing, the end of a marriage, or a paternity matter, and the numbers carry real weight for years. As a child support attorney Boca Raton parents rely on, Tina L. Lewert helps you on every side of the issue: establishing a first order, making sure the calculation is correct, adjusting an order when circumstances change, and enforcing one when the other parent will not pay.

Because Tina L. Lewert is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator, a credential distinct from her role as a board-certified attorney, she can help you reach a support agreement through mediation where that is possible, and litigate firmly where it is not.

Board Certified Child Support Lawyer
Board Certified Child Support Lawyer

Tina Lewert

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How Child Support Is Calculated in Florida

Florida calculates child support under a statutory formula set out in Section 61.30, often called the Income Shares Model. The calculation looks primarily at the combined net income of both parents and the number of children, then divides the obligation between the parents according to each one’s share of that combined income.

Two other factors shape the final number. The first is the time-sharing schedule: the law accounts for the number of overnights each parent has with the child, and once a parent reaches at least 73 overnights per year, a substantial-timesharing adjustment changes the calculation. The second is certain shared costs, primarily the child’s health insurance premium and work-related childcare, which are added in and apportioned between the parents. Since 2023, Florida also starts from a rebuttable presumption that equal, 50/50 time-sharing is in a child’s best interests, which can affect both the schedule and the support figure.

Because the formula is detailed and the inputs matter, a small error in income or overnights can change the result significantly. Lewert Law makes sure the numbers behind your order are accurate and complete.

  • Privacy. Mediation happens outside the public courtroom.
  • Speed. Mediated cases typically resolve faster than litigated ones.
  • Lower cost. Settling out of court is usually less expensive than a trial.
  • Less emotional strain. A cooperative process is easier on everyone, particularly children.
  • Control. You and your spouse shape the outcome, rather than leaving it to a judge.

Modifying and Enforcing Child Support

A child support order is not necessarily permanent. When there is a substantial change in circumstances, such as a meaningful change in either parent’s income, a job loss, or a change in the time-sharing schedule, either parent can ask the court to modify the order. Lewert Law handles these child support modification requests, whether you are seeking an increase, a decrease, or defending against one.

Enforcement is the other side of the coin. If the other parent is not paying child support in line with a court order, you have options. As a Boca Raton child support enforcement attorney, Tina L. Lewert helps parents seek court intervention when support obligations are not met. A parent who fails to pay as ordered may be held in contempt, and the court has tools to compel payment. An agreed support arrangement that has been filed with the court carries the same legal obligation as one a judge imposed.

Why Work With a Board Certified Boca Raton Child Support Lawyer

Child support sits at the intersection of detailed math, the time-sharing schedule, and your child’s wellbeing. Working with a board-certified specialist means your case is handled by someone whose focus and experience in marital and family law have been formally recognized by The Florida Bar. Because Lewert Law keeps a deliberately limited caseload, the attorney you meet is the attorney who handles your matter.

That certified focus has been recognized by The Florida Bar and the wider legal profession:

  • Board Certified Specialist, Marital and Family Law, by The Florida Bar, 2009 to present
  • Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • U.S. News "Best Lawyers" 2023 to 2026, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
  • Super Lawyers Magazine's "Top Attorneys in Florida" 2013 to 2025

Serving Boca Raton and South Florida

Lewert Law is based in Boca Raton and handles child support matters for clients throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Highland Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland. Working with a family lawyer Boca Raton families trust means your support matter is handled alongside any related divorce, custody, or paternity issues. Local child support cases are generally heard in the Palm Beach County or Broward County family courts.

Serving Boca Raton and South Florida

Lewert Law is based in Boca Raton and provides mediation and family law services for clients throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Highland Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland. As a Boca Raton family law attorney who both litigates and mediates, Tina L. Lewert can guide your matter whichever path it takes. Local family law cases are generally handled through the Palm Beach County or Broward County courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go to court to finalize child support in Florida?

Not always. If you and your co-parent agree on the terms of support and the parenting plan, you may be able to avoid contested hearings and simply submit the agreement to the court for finalization. If you cannot agree, the matter goes before a judge, who will evaluate your circumstances and decide what support arrangement is appropriate.

How can mediation help with child support?

Mediation is a cooperative, non-adversarial process where both parents work together to reach an agreement, rather than leaving the decision to a judge. It gives both parents a say in the outcome and often resolves matters faster. The process should be overseen by a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator, a credential Tina L. Lewert holds.

Can I get child support if I was never married to the other parent?

Yes. You can obtain child support even if you were never married to your child's other parent. The Florida family courts can address support and time-sharing as part of a divorce, as a stand-alone case, or as part of a paternity case between unmarried parents. You can read more about establishing parentage on our Boca Raton paternity lawyer page.

How is child support handled if the parents live in different states?

When parents live in different states, the case is more complex, and the first question is usually which state's court has jurisdiction. That can depend on where any existing support order was issued, where each parent and the child now live, and how long they have lived there. Lewert Law can review your situation and advise on where your case should proceed.

Can we change an existing child support order?

Yes. A child support order can be modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances. You may reach a new agreement through mediation and submit it to the court, or, if agreement is not possible, ask a judge to order the modification. The same is true for a related change to your time-sharing or parenting plan.

My co-parent is not paying child support. Can you help?

Yes. If the other parent is not paying as ordered, you can ask the court to intervene. Failure to pay court-ordered support can constitute contempt, and the court has tools to compel payment. This is true whether a judge set the amount or you reached a support agreement that was filed with the court. Lewert Law handles child support enforcement in Boca Raton and the surrounding area.

How long does it take to decide child support in Florida?

If both parents reach an agreement through mediation, formalizing it through the court can take just a few weeks. If you need a judge to decide, it can take anywhere from a few months to a year or more, depending on the complexity of your case and the court's schedule.

Where are Boca Raton child support cases heard?

Child support is handled through the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and for Boca Raton residents these cases are generally heard in the family division at the South County Courthouse, located at 200 W. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, the nearest county courthouse to Boca Raton.

What should I ask when choosing a Boca Raton child support attorney?

A consultation is the place to ask the questions that matter. Helpful ones include whether the attorney focuses on family law and child support, what certifications or credentials they hold, whether they offer family law mediation, and what fees and payment structure to expect. Asking these helps you choose among the many child support attorneys Boca Raton has and find the right fit for your case. If you are searching for a child support attorney Boca Raton FL families recommend, Lewert Law is located right here in Boca Raton at 301 Yamato Road, Suite 4110.

Child support is closely tied to other family law matters. You may also find these pages helpful:

Speak With a Boca Raton Child Support Lawyer

Getting child support right matters for your child and for your own stability. To talk through your situation with a board-certified Boca Raton child support lawyer, call Lewert Law at (561) 544-6861 or reach out through this site to schedule a confidential consultation.