If you are trying to create a child support agreement, you know it can be a time of high-anxiety and worry. You probably have more concerns than you know what to with and you are having a hard time trying to figure out what you are up against. Understanding what you can expect will ease the process for you and your children. You will want to have an attorney supporting you through the stress of your child support case. In the meantime, here is some useful NY child support information.
Basic Child Support
In New York state, the non-custodial parent pays child support to the custodial parent. This issue gets complicated when parents are sharing custody equally. Under New York case law, the non-custodial parent is the one who earns more money. However, that does not mean that in every case of shared custody, there is a payment of child support going from one parent to the other.
In shared custody cases, which are often common in uncontested divorce cases, we often have a shared expenses arrangement where the parents share all of the expenses the children incur. In New York state, under the Child Support Standards Act, NY child support is formulaic. It is based on the number of children in the household and the family’s income. However, the child support act is 10 pages of fine print. There are many nuances and grey areas that you can rely on your attorney to do the understanding for you. When your attorney addresses your case, they will guide you through all of these issues and explore your options to determine what your child support should be.
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Other Components of Child Support
There are mandatory add-ons to the basic child support in New York state. The mandatory add-ons are for health insurance, the cost of the premiums for the children, un-reimbursed medical and dental reimbursements (that includes orthodontics), and daycare expenses for the children. Daycare expenses are those expenses necessary for a parent to work or to go to school. Depending on what applies to you, the outcome will differ from case to case.
There are some non-mandatory add-ons also. These are add-ons that are not required under the statue that parents often agree upon. They may include things such as extra-curricular expenses, car insurance, and perhaps the cost of your children attending college. Non-mandatory add-ons can be tailored to your specific lifestyle.
With the guidance of your attorney, you will be able to understand what your next step is for figuring out child support with your spouse. Knowledge is the best tool for you in coming to an agreement with your spouse that suits your needs and your children’s needs.
If you are struggling about child support, contact attorney Jean Mahserjian for caring advocacy.
Attorney Jean Mahserjian has maintained her capital region law firm for over 20 years. The practice encompasses all areas of family and matrimonial law, an online uncontested divorce service and various areas of estate planning. Whether we’re assisting you with a family law issue or helping you plan for your family’s future with our estate planning practice, our goal is to fully educate you on your options and help you make the best decisions possible
