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Legal pitfalls
Can Parents Agree to Skip Child Support? (Waivers & What Courts Do)
A private “we agree to no support” deal is rarely enforceable — courts can override it. What waivers are valid, what voids them, and how arrears survive an agreement.
Direct answer
If there is no court order, the state can still establish support later and seek arrears from the date of filing. If there is an order, only a court order ends it. Get any agreement signed by a judge.
Last updated: 2026-08-19
Child support belongs to the child, not the parents — so most courts refuse to enforce a private agreement to waive it. A judge can reject a “no support” deal even if both parents signed it, and the state child support agency can pursue support regardless of a waiver.
What usually holds up
Agreements that set an amount at or near the guideline and are incorporated into a court order.
Stipulations approved by the judge with both parents represented (or knowingly self-represented).
Offset or property-swap deals that keep the child’s support at guideline level.
A handshake or private contract to “forgive” support does not stop arrears: the state can garnish wages and suspend licenses even years later, because the child’s right to support is not waivable in most states.
See what the guideline would produce — the floor a court expects
Estimate for Florida
Florida uses the Income Shares model.
Enter the paying parent’s net (after-tax/deductions) monthly income.
Florida Child Support Worksheet — Planning Estimate
Generated August 19, 2026 · Model: Income Shares · Income basis: net · Statute: Fla. Stat. § 61.30
This is an informal planning estimate, not a court worksheet and not legal advice. Confirm the current guideline with the state child-support agency or a licensed family-law attorney.
Estimated monthly support$1,179.44per month
Official schedule: Florida Statutes 61.30(6) - Schedule of Basic Obligations (combined monthly NET income). Values from the 2024 Florida Statutes. (2024)
Annual estimate$14,153.28
Effective rate23.6%
MethodIncome Shares: combined income → official Florida schedule → split by income share (+ add-ons, parenting-time credit)
View calculation breakdown
Combined parental income
$9,000
Total basic obligation (schedule)
$2,123
Obligor income share
55.6%
Obligor basic obligation
$1,179
Estimated monthly support
$1,179
How the basic obligation splits between parents
56%
44%
Paying parent: $1,179 Other parent: $944
Each parent pays their proportional share of the combined basic obligation.
Estimated monthly support by number of children
At the incomes you entered, for 2 children.
My ex said I never have to pay — do I still owe?
If there is no court order, the state can still establish support later and seek arrears from the date of filing. If there is an order, only a court order ends it. Get any agreement signed by a judge.
This article is general education, not legal or tax advice. For your exact number, open your state calculator.
Not legal or financial advice. This estimate follows the state’s statutory guideline formula but cannot capture every factor a court considers (health insurance, childcare, prior orders, deviations, imputed income).
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