Florida Parenting Plan Guide

What a Florida parenting plan should cover

• Legal custody: who makes decisions about school, healthcare, and religion.
• Physical custody: the residential schedule for weekdays, weekends, and holidays.
• A specific weekly or two-week custody schedule (2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, week-on/off, etc.).
• Holiday and school-break rotation, usually alternating odd/even years.
• Transportation and exchange rules — who drives, where, and at what time.
• Communication rules between parents and between each parent and the child.
• How future disputes will be handled (mediation, parenting coordinator, or court).

A simple Florida parenting plan template

Copy this outline into a document, fill in the specifics, and review with an attorney before filing with the Florida courts.

FLORIDA PARENTING PLAN

1. PARTIES
   Parent A: __________________________
   Parent B: __________________________
   Child(ren):
     Name / DOB: ______________________

2. LEGAL DECISION-MAKING
   [ ] Joint    [ ] Sole (Parent A)    [ ] Sole (Parent B)
   Notes: ____________________________

3. RESIDENTIAL SCHEDULE (Time-Sharing Schedule)
   Regular schedule (specify pattern):
   ____________________________________
   Start date of cycle: _______________

4. HOLIDAYS & SCHOOL BREAKS
   Alternating odd/even years:
     Thanksgiving:   A odd / B even
     Winter break:   ______________
     Spring break:   ______________
     Summer:         ______________
     Birthdays:      ______________

5. EXCHANGES
   Location: __________________________
   Time: ______________________________
   Transportation responsibility: _____

6. COMMUNICATION
   Between parents: [ ] app  [ ] email  [ ] text
   Parent-child while at other home:
     Frequency: ______  Method: ______

7. DECISION FRAMEWORK FOR DISPUTES
   Step 1: Direct discussion (written)
   Step 2: Mediation
   Step 3: Court

8. SIGNATURES
   Parent A: _______________  Date: ___
   Parent B: _______________  Date: ___

Parent education class

Florida requires most divorcing parents with minor children to complete a court-approved parenting education program before the final decree. Check with your local Florida family court for approved providers — many offer online courses that can be completed in a single evening.

Child support in Florida

Florida uses the Income Shares model: both parents' incomes are combined, the state's schedule sets the total support the children would have received in an intact household, and each parent owes their percentage share of it. The worksheet starts from net monthly income.

Florida works from net income and applies a gross-up shared-parenting formula once a parent has at least 20% of overnights (73 nights).

Florida parenting plan FAQ