In many New York divorces when children are involved, one of the factors that the parents will have to address is that of child support. When the court awards custody to one of the parents, the other parent (the noncustodial parent) will be required to make payments that go towards providing for the child’s needs. When determining a child custody award, the court will take a number of factors into consideration. The most important factor that the New York family court system will take into account is the New York State Child Support Standards Act. It also depends heavily on the number of children that require custody.
One child requires a payment of 17% of the parent’s combined income. Two children require 25%. Three children require 29%, four children require 31%, and five or more children require at least 35%.
In addition to the guidelines, the court considers many other factors when determining child support. Some of the other significant factors include the following:
- The child custody arrangement
- The earning capacity of each parent
- The financial resources of each parent
- The age of the child
- The child’s health and any special needs that they may have
- The cost of caring for the child
- The cost of the child’s academic, extracurricular, and social life
If you have questions about child support in New York State, contact our firm today.
If you need strong legal representation regarding matters of divorce, family law, and estate law, contact the Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. to schedule a consultation today. Our firm is proud to serve clients throughout Long Island when they face difficult legal matters.
