Bryan L. Salamone & Associates Launches NYS Maintenance & Child Support Calculator

In a divorce, the more you know, the better. You can make informed decisions if you can reasonably predict how child support and spousal maintenance determinations will turn out in your case. Now, there is an easy-to-use online tool that helps divorcing spouses in New York State gain an accurate perspective on these critical issues.

Our website’s new Maintenance and Child Support Calculator lets parties and their attorneys obtain detailed estimates simply by entering some financial and family information, the way you do every year on your income tax returns. Once you’ve provided the proper figures and answered a few simple questions, the calculator checks the law, does the math and shows you in an easy-to-understand format the maintenance and child support rates you can expect to pay or receive. We’ve included several functions that make the online calculator a one-stop resource, such as:

• Child support formula — New York has strict rules regarding parents’ obligations to meet their children’s financial needs. The percentage of combined income that should be devoted to the raising of sons and daughters is based on how many children the couple have. The calculator pinpoints each parent’s relative share of the combined income, showing how much one ex-spouse will have to pay the other on a weekly or monthly basis.
• Maintenance guidelines — Formerly known as alimony, maintenance is likely to be awarded when one spouse earns significantly more than the other. The calculator determines what the maintenance payments would be under the guidelines and further demonstrates how these payments alter child support rates. You can also see how long a maintenance obligation might last, based on the length of the marriage.
• Factors that affect payment rates —The calculator takes into account other factors besides income that can affect child support and maintenance determinations. In view of the significant costs associated with child care and health insurance, parents who pay for these costs receive a child support adjustment in their favor. Individuals whose income is at or near the poverty level can qualify for a reduced payment level.

You should remember that prenuptial agreements and other outside factors may lead a court to diverge from the standards reflected in the calculator and that modifications to child support and maintenance decisions can occur later if circumstances change.

Located in Melville, Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C. delivers exceptional representation to clients going through a divorce on Long Island and in other parts of New York. For a free telephone consultation, please call 1.631.479.3839 or contact us online.