When does child support in NY end?

Child support gives extra compensation to custodial parents and those that spend more time taking care of the children. They may be paid money from their former spouse since they may spend more of their finances taken care of the children on a daily basis. This is to ensure the well-being of the child and make sure that they are being taken care of properly. During court proceedings, a judge can review many factors to determine what structure of child support they deem to be fit for the child and the family. In New York state, child support ends at the age of 21.

How is child support paid?

During divorce cases, child support payments need to be decided on if children are in the family.  In the state of New York, the courts follow the State’s Child Support Guidelines and abide by the Child Support Standards Act. The Child Support Standards Act is in place to help decide the amount of child support payments that qualify as a sufficient amount for a specific case. This act provides a formula to equitably calculate a base amount of child support. The goal of this act is to decide with the best interests of the child in mind to ensure that their well-being is the first and foremost priority. The court will try to continue the living standard that has been established for the child already. The Child Support Standards Act that is in place provides a formula to decide the structure of child support based on the number of children involved in the case and in the family.

When there are more children in the family, there is a greater percentage of combined marital income that must go to child support. The child support is based upon the number of children. For one child, 17% may be included. For two children, 25% percent may be demanded. As the number of children increases, the percentage increases to reflect that there are more needs due to the number of children in the family. The formula is used to estimate the amount of support needed based on the number of children it is intended to provide for. However, there are many other factors considered when deciding upon the child support structure. Judges will consider the financial resources of each parent and of the child. They will take into account the child’s physical and emotional health to ensure their well-being, along with their current standard of living. Other factors include the tax consequences of each parent, their non-monetary contributions, their educational needs, the parent’s gross income and the children’s needs outside of the marriage.

The Law Office of Peter L. Jameson, PLLC is an experienced divorce and family law firm located in New City, NY. It is essential to retain effective legal guidance during such pivotal times in life. Contact our firm today to discuss your legal matter and get the quality legal representation you deserve.