Anytime a couple separates and there are child/ren involved, it can get complicated. Once you figure out custody and visitation issues, you need to determine how much child support the parent with primary physical custody should get from the other parent.
Calculating child support in Saratoga Springs may be difficult, which is why you should consult with a knowledgeable and experienced local attorney. Our seasoned legal team may meet with you to understand your financial situation and work with you to ensure your child/ren receive the financial support they need, regardless of whether you are a custodial or noncustodial parent.
According to the Child Support Standards Act, parents in New York state have an obligation to support the care, maintenance, and education of their unemancipated child/ren under the age of 21. The Child Support Standards Act provides consistency and fairness in child support payments, which reduces confusion and uncertainty for families. Child/ren of separated and divorced parents should be able to live with the same standard of living that they would have had if their parents lived together.
The noncustodial parent must pay the custodial parent their share of the child support obligation.
However, child support obligations can become more complicated in certain situations, which is why working with our experienced legal team is critical. For example, if you share custody equally with your child/ren’s coparent, different considerations may apply. One parent may still be eligible for child support even if both parents share custody equally if the other parent earns a much greater income.
Another scenario that can make child support matters complex is when the child/ren’s parents are not married and the father denies paternity or wants to establish paternity. Our Saratoga Springs attorneys have successfully handled a wide variety of cases involving child support. We may help you advocate for what is fair and appropriate for your situation.
Courts calculate child support obligations in Saratoga Springs by using a specific formula. To gain a better understanding of what your child support obligations may be, you can review the online Child Support Calculator by the city of New York’s Department of Social Services and enter the appropriate information. Although the numbers may not be exactly correct, this calculator may give you a general idea of what the payments would likely be.
Essentially, a family Court would use a formula that consists of the parents’ incomes and number of children to determine the child support obligations. They would first calculate the parents’ combined income and then allocate a specific percentage of the combined income to child support. Lastly, they would calculate the share that each parent is responsible for.
The specific percentages of combined income for child support are as follows:
In addition to salary, other things can contribute to a parent’s income, such as disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, annuities, and retirement benefits. The Court also has discretion to consider other potential income sources, such as non-income producing assets, compensation benefits like meals or automobiles, fringe employment benefits, and money from relatives and friends.
For example, if you earn 75 percent of the combined parental income and your child/ren’s coparent earns 25 percent, you may be responsible for 75 percent of the child support obligations. If the couple’s combined income exceeds a certain amount, the Court has greater flexibility and discretion and does not need to adhere strictly to the percentages given above. Our skilled lawyers may explain how that may impact your family’s situation and help you calculate your child support obligations.
Calculating child support in Saratoga Springs is not always simple. A wide range of factors can influence the size of your child support obligations. Our skilled legal team may work with your family to help you.
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