Fifty – fifty custody. Why doesn’t it make dollars and cents? The trends towards joint shared parenting are spiking. Since 1994 we have seen over 25 years worth of increased fathers right’s and a push towards joint-shared parenting. In fact, Westchester, Yonkers, and some of Manhattan now pre-suppose that there will be joint shared parenting as a starting point. Nassau…
Unmarried parents who end a relationship may be faced with certain challenges that do not apply to married couples. If you are an unmarried father, it is important to know the rules surrounding child support and custody so that you can effectively protect your rights. When a child is born to unmarried parents, the state typically grants full custody to…
Divorce poses unique considerations for the 1.1 million active duty American soldiers and their families. When a military couple decides to divorce, certain factors come into play that civilian couples may not have to think about. In fact, numerous aspects of a military couple’s divorce may be influenced by the spouse’s military service. Child support and spousal support When it…
In New York, there are certain formulas that judges use to calculate how much child support is owed by one parent to another after a divorce. If you feel as though your case may be an exception to the rule, you have the ability to inform the judge of special circumstances. Examples of situations where child support may need to…
Child support is typically required after a divorce or when parents maintain separate households. However, paying for extracurricular activities, such as sports, dance or other hobbies, can be less clear. Child support amounts are determined by the income of both parents and how much time the child spends with them, among other factors. And while parents are required to ensure…
A child’s preference for living with a parent can affect custody decisions in many states, including New York. However, while most judges will consider a stated preference, they are still obligated to rule in a way that protects a child’s best interest. Judges have a great deal of leeway when they make custody decisions. Among the factors they may consider…
Negotiating child custody arrangements between parents can be one of the most contentious areas after a divorce. Likewise, unmarried parents often have to confront the same set of complicated issues about the care and welfare of their children when they separate, including determining living arrangements, obtaining child support and setting up a visitation schedule. Special considerations Because unmarried legal parents…
When you are going through the divorce process, child support is likely to be a sticking point for you and your spouse. However, while you work to come to a long-term agreement who will pay child support (and how much), you do have the ability to seek a temporary order of child support to be paid to the parent that…
There are a number of different factors that go into determining the amount of child support one parent must pay to another, including the needs of the child and the parent’s ability to make those payments. If a child’s needs include regular medical needs, those payments could increase in size. First, you can expect that any child support arrangement will…
A new study revealed some information that may have been surprising to some people: a higher percentage of non-custodial mothers fail to make their child support payments than non-custodial fathers. According to the study, in 2011, approximately 32 percent of custodial fathers did not receive a single dollar of the total child support they were owed, compared to 25.1 percent…