12.902: The Money Mirror
12.902(b) and 12.902(c) are Florida's family law financial affidavits. They disclose income, expenses, assets, and debts so the court can rule on child support, attorney fees, and related money issues while your timesharing story lives elsewhere. Treating this like optional homework burns credibility. Parenting plan craft is a different job: see Florida 12.995 parenting plan.
Disclosure lane
- Income tied to pay evidence and tax logic
- Monthly expenses that match statements when possible
- Assets and debts with real balances
- Required attachments your circuit expects
- Redact sensitive identifiers on public copies when rules expect truncation
Not a narrative lane
- No multi-page character essay in margin notes
- No numbers that fight your own exhibits
- No skipping attachments because you are tired
Relevant Florida law
The statutes and appellate decisions below are the ones Florida courts actually apply here. Educational orientation only — not legal advice. Read the source before you rely on it.
Statutes
- Fla. Stat. § 61.30 — Child Support Guidelines
The guideline amount determined under s. 61.30 presumptively establishes the amount the court must order as child support, in an initial proceeding or a modification proceeding. The court may vary the amount by plus or minus 5 percent after considering all relevant factors, including the child's needs, age, station in life, standard of living, and each parent's financial status and ability, but may vary it by more than 5 percent only on a written finding explaining why ordering the guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate. Whenever a child is required by court order or mediation agreement to spend a substantial amount of time with either parent, the court must vary support as provided in s. 61.30(11)(b). The guidelines can show a substantial change in circumstances for modification only if the difference between the existing obligation and the guideline amount is at least 15 percent or $50, whichever is greater. A 'substantial amount of time' for the (11)(b) adjustment means at least 20 percent of the overnights in the year, and a parent's failure to regularly exercise the time-sharing on which that adjustment was based is itself a substantial change of circumstances, with modification retroactive to when the failure began (§ 61.30(11)(b)8., (11)(c)).
Key cases
- Warner v. Warner, 692 So. 2d 266 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997)
Under s. 61.30(2)(b), income may be imputed only if the parent's unemployment or underemployment is voluntary, and the court must make specific findings of the parent's probable and potential earnings level and the source of the imputed income, based on recent work history, occupational qualifications, and prevailing earnings in the community. Warner reversed an imputation where the court made no specific findings and the record did not support finding the parent voluntarily underemployed. As amended since Warner, s. 61.30(2)(b) puts the burden on the party seeking imputation to present competent, substantial evidence that the unemployment or underemployment is voluntary and identifying the amount and source of income from available employment for which the parent is suitably qualified, with due consideration of the time-sharing schedule. Except as the statute otherwise provides, income may not be imputed from records more than 5 years old or at a level the parent has never earned unless recently degreed, licensed or certified. If income information is unavailable, or a parent fails to participate or to supply adequate financial information, income is automatically imputed under a rebuttable presumption equal to the census median income of year-round full-time workers. The court may refuse to impute income if it finds the parent needs to stay home with the child, and incarceration may not be treated as voluntary unemployment (§ 61.30(2)(b)-(c)).
Related guides
More Florida forms
State guides (overview)
General support (not Florida-specific)
Official source
Florida Courts (12.902(b) and (c)): https://www.flcourts.gov/Resources-Services/Court-Improvement/Family-Courts/Family-Law-Forms/Financial-Affidavit-12.902-b-and-c
12.902 questions
Why is 12.902 treated like a side form when it is not?
Because parents focus on timesharing fights first. Florida practice still expects a complete financial picture for support, fees, and other money orders. A weak affidavit makes every other filing look careless.
What is the difference between short form and long form?
12.902(b) is the short form for qualifying incomes; 12.902(c) is the long form when income exceeds the threshold on the form instructions. Pick the wrong one and you are redoing work under deadline pressure.
Where should custody arguments go instead of 12.902?
In motions, parenting plans, and factual affidavits tied to timesharing. Keep 12.902 for money facts and attachments that match the numbers.
MyCustodyCoach is not a law firm. Court rules, fees, and form versions change by county; confirm what applies to your case with official court resources or counsel you hire.