Being a single parent is tough. It may well be the hardest thing you ever have to do in your life. Because you do all, or the majority, of the supervision, dropping off and picking up from school, cooking, cleaning, coordinating, and play time, as a single parent you are left with less time to work and even less personal or down time, if any. Child support exists for this reason. And, if the noncustodial parent refuses to pay, there are legal steps that we can help you take. With 20 years of combined experience, the Rensselaer County child custody legal team at The Colwell Law Group, LLC is here to offer our support in every way that we can.
We understand that times are tough these days. Even though the economy has been on the rebound since the economic crash of 2007, thousands of Rensselaer County workers are simply out of work. Whether you are unemployed, are employed but cannot afford to hand over part of your paycheck, are disabled, or are too sick to work, you have options. Call a lawyer today to find out how to take the next step.
While the child support that you potentially receive may not be enough to allow for you to stay home from work and be a full time caretaker for your child, it can provide for many necessities, such as food, clothing, rent or mortgage payments, toys, childcare costs, educational costs, healthcare, and much more. Support payments are paid weekly, biweekly, monthly, or bimonthly. Two little known facts about child support are that you can receive child support even if you are living with the other parent and that parent refuses to pay for the child’s bills, and that even if the custodial parent can technically cover the costs of raising the child by themselves, the noncustodial parent may still be held responsible for paying child support, according to New York Courts.
The estimated annual support, according to the NYC Human Resources Administration, is $6,885 for a single child if the noncustodial parent’s income is $45,000 per year. A rough guide is that if the noncustodial parent is paying for one child, the court will order them to pay 17 percent of their income, if they are paying for two, then 25 percent of their income, and if they are paying for three, 29 percent of their income. However, if the noncustodial parent’s income is below the federal poverty level, they may only pay $25 per month. Or, if their income is below the New York State Self-Support Reserve, they may pay just $50 per month. Our attorneys will help ensure that the noncustodial parent pays what is fair.
Our attorneys assist clients seeking child support, noncustodial parents who are worried about making child support payments, and either side who wishes to modify a court order. Call a Rensselaer County child support attorney today with The Colwell Law Group, LLC. We can be reached at 518-631-3954 and are standing by to offer our assistance.
Learn how to help your kids cope with your divorce with our complimentary guide for parents who are getting divorced or separated in New York.
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