Every parent has a responsibility to provide for their child until they can lawfully work and be independent. When a relationship breaks down, however, the family court may order you to pay child support for the child.
How should you pay child support in Florida?
Florida child support payment process
Based on the circumstances, the court may order that you begin paying child support while the divorce is underway or after it has been concluded. Either way, the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) will be tasked with handling the payments. Besides limiting interaction between the parents, this also ensures that the receiving parent’s information is kept confidential.
The SDU’s accepted payments methods include:
- Online
- By mail
- Money transfer services if you wish to pay in cash.
What if you want to pay your ex directly?
Once you’ve made a payment to the SDU, it will take a couple of days to process and release the funds to the other parent. If this lag time is inconveniencing the receiving parent, you can consider making direct payments to them either by check, cash or other means.
However, before opting for direct payment, you will need to formally seek the court’s approval for this arrangement. While making direct payments to your ex, be sure to provide a clear narration of each payment to avoid any confusion or dispute that may arise. An example of narration would be something like, “Child support for Lucy for the month of November 2022.” Also, be sure to keep a record of your payments.
Child support can be a contentious issue during and after the divorce. Find out how you can protect your rights and interests while fulfilling this obligation.