I was recently asked as a Saratoga Child Support Lawyer about how to stop paying child support if you become the full custody holder. If primary custody of your child changes, the best thing to do would be petition the family court to terminate your order of support. If your existing order of support is a direct pay order, meaning that you’re paying your ex or the child’s mother directly, you can stop paying, but you should also filed the petition in family court as well. The reason being is that even though you have a new custody order, your child support order is still in effect and you still do technically owe that money. I advise clients as a Saratoga Child Support Lawyer if you’re paying the child support collection unit or SCU, they will still continue to collect that money from your paycheck or mark you in arrears for non-payment if you don’t pay, which is why the petition is necessary.
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The only reason why I suggest non-payment if it’s a direct pay order is that public policy prevents the support magistrate from directing the child’s mother or the other parent from returning child support monies they receive. The sooner you file your petition the better because your relief will start as of that date.
If you have questions on how you should stop paying child support, contact our experienced Saratoga Child Support Lawyers.
This informational blog post was provided by Jennifer Sunderlin Morton, an experienced Saratoga Child Support Lawyer.