NY Child Support Lawyer

Child support is meant to protect your child’s standard of living.

We educate you on child support requirements in New York and how they will impact your family’s lives.

In New York, child support is payable until a child turns 21 years of age. The basic child support obligation, which covers food, clothing and shelter expenses, is determined by a statutory formula. The goal is to give children the same standard of living they would have if their parents were together. In general, noncustodial parents must pay a percentage of both parents’ combined gross incomes for the year. However, the law also provides for payment of add-on expenses which often leads to disputes between parents. We help our clients understand how their child support obligation is calculated as a means of reducing, or even eliminating, disputes between parents. We believe there is strength in knowledge and we work to give you that strength.

Add-on expenses reflect the “extras” your child enjoys now.

Add-on expenses cover all other non-basic child care costs such as, unreimbursed medical costs, child care, private school, summer camp, extracurricular school activities, and tutoring, among other things. These additional expenses are paid pro rata in accordance with the parties’ respective incomes. We help you understand how the law calculates mandatory and discretionary add-on expenses, to facilitate a settlement of these issues.

The system requires full financial disclosure from both parents.

In those instances where one parent is withholding financial information or otherwise frustrating the process in a way that prevents a proper child support calculation, involving the court can help set expectations and ultimately resolve the dispute. When you and the other parent cannot resolve your respective child support obligations, the statutory formula determines those obligations based solely on the numbers.

Let’s talk about what you want to do.

We seek to find the best solutions for clients who want to move their life forward in a positive direction. Please contact our NY office to speak with a child support lawyer.