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Department Of Revenue Laws In Fort Lauderdale

Personable and Zealous Support

At GFC LAW, we aim to provide clients with personable and zealous representation both in and out of the courtroom.  In fact, Attorney Gary F Celetti, Jr. has over 20 years of unique experience and intentionally takes on a smaller volume of cases to ensure that each client has his thorough and undivided attention. If you are dealing with issues delegated by the Department of Revenue in Florida, do not hesitate to contact GFC LAW for legal support, whether you have questions about the Child Support Program or seek to petition for modifications to an existing support order.

The DOR’s Child Support Program

Florida’s Department of Revenue implements a Child Support Program, whose main purpose is to help children obtain the financial support they need when it is not received from one or both parents. To accomplish this, the DOR will work directly with families, state and federal agencies, and private companies. In general, the services offered by the Child Support Program include:

  • locating parents and assets;
  • establishing paternity;
  • establishing and modifying child support orders;
  • monitoring and taking action to help parents comply with child support orders;
  • receiving and distributing child support payments;
  • educating and assisting parents and the public.

The program serves children even if a parent lives in another state or country. Note that it does not address visitation or custody issues.

Changing a Support Order with the DOR

Any parent with a child support case can ask the DOR’s Child Support Program to review their support order to consider whether the order may be changed. To do so, the requesting parent should first provide their financial and other relevant information to the Child Support Program for review. After receiving this information, the program will contact the other parent to obtain their information. The program will then revie both parents’ information to determine if there is a substantial, permanent, and involuntary change in circumstance, or if there are other legal grounds for changing an order. The final decision will be mailed to both parents.

If the program review determines that the order should not change, they will notify the parents and take no further action. However, if the review determines that the order should be changed, the Child Support Program may initiate a proceeding to modify the order. Note that the process to change an order will depend on whether it is a court order, an administrative support order issued by the Child Support Program, or if another state issued the order. To change a court order, the Child Support Program will bring in a program attorney to handle the court action. To change an administrative support order, the program will notify the parents to change the order. The parents will be entitled to a formal hearing before either a court or administrative order is changed. In the case that the support order was issued by another state, the Child Support Program will forward the request to the other state.

Note that the parent seeking to change a support order has the burden to prove a substantial, permanent, and involuntary change in circumstances. If less than 3 years have elapsed since the support order was issued, reviewed, or changed, a substantial change must be one that caused the order amount to change by at least 15% but not less than $50. If more than 3 years have passed since the support order was issued, a substantial change in circumstances must be one that caused a change in the order amount by least 10% but not less than $25.

To prove a permanent change, the petitioning parent must show that the change has lasted for 6 months or more. An involuntary change is one that comes of no fault from either parent, such as an extended illness or employment layoff. That is, an involuntary change warranting support is one that is out of the parent’s control. As such, a voluntary change (e.g., quitting a job, pursuing criminal activity) is a result of a parent’s own choices and does not meet the standard for a support order to be changed.

Questions? Contact GFC LAW.

It is best to consult an attorney if you seek to pursue a child support concern with the DOR’s Child Support Program. An experienced lawyer can better help you determine your eligibility for modification, how you can prove your case for change, and what your legal options are with the Child Support Program. GFC LAW will walk you through every step of the Department of Revenue process and ensure you family rights are being protected.

Call (954) 635-2251 or contact GFC Law online for a consultation today.