Child support is an important aspect of any divorce proceeding and cannot be ignored during the settlement phase. Typically, it follows after the strenuous divorce and custody hearings. Child support can be stressful even if the divorce proceeding up to this point have been relatively amicable. There are several factors that courts use to determine who pays what. New York State determines child support based on the combined income of both parents. Consult a qualified New York City child support attorney like Stephanie Burke. She has represented countless clients successfully and is dedicated to the wellbeing of your child.

Child support is a duty of each parent regardless of the state of the marriage. Dissolution of a marriage does not absolve a parent from his or her duties as far as providing support for the child is concerned. It is common that the parent who spends less time with the child pays more. Typically, child support continues until the child reaches 21 years of age.

The Child Support Standards Act (CSSA)
How New York State Calculates Child Support Payments
The Child Support Standards Act was developed to ensure that child support awards in New York State were fair and consistent. The goal is to give children the same standard of living they would have if their parents remained together. New York State has a formula for determining child support payment that each parent must pay. This formula is based on the combined incomes of both parents. For combined incomes up to $143,000 per year the courts multiply the income by a percentage per child as follows:

If you are having problems deciding on the appropriate amount or if you feel the amount is unfair, contact an experienced professional like Stephanie today. She will argue your case and guide you through this process so that you receive the amount that is just and fair keeping your child’s wellbeing as her utmost priority.