There’s nothing more important than giving a child the financial support he or she needs to live a safe, happy, and productive life. That said, if you recently got divorced and weren’t granted custody or even visitation time of your child, you may wonder whether you will have to pay child support, as it may seem as though you play very little role in your child’s life. Please continue reading and reach out to our experienced New York City child support attorneys to learn more about whether you’ll have to pay child support even without visitation rights in New York and how our legal team can help you and your family reach an agreement that works for everyone. Here are some of the questions you may have:
Does NYS require me to pay child support if I don’t have visitation rights?
In short, the answer is yes, especially if you’re on the child’s birth certificate as his or her father or mother. Whether you have custody or not is irrelevant; courts in New York State believe that the best interests of children must be upheld at all costs, and ensuring they have the resources they need is a key part of doing so. Courts will determine the amount of child support you’ll have to pay based on a number of factors, including the following:
- Your child’s needs
- You and your former spouse’s income
- The number of children living in the custodial parent’s household
- Whether children have any special needs
- Tax consequences
- The standard of living the child received prior to the divorce
- Each parent’s monetary and non-monetary contributions to the child
- Any other factor the court deems relevant
What can I do if I want to change my child support agreement in New York State?
You should understand that in some cases, a modification to or termination of a child support agreement is necessary or just makes sense. For example, when a child reaches the age of emancipation, the parent who pays child support can most likely request termination of the agreement. On the flip side, however, if a child has special needs, such as a mental disability, the custodial parent may request an extension on child support even past the age of emancipation so the individual can continue receiving the support they need to live a happy and fulfilling life. If you have any other questions about child support in New York State, simply give our New York City divorce attorneys a call today.
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Zimmet Law Group, P.C. is an experienced team of attorneys guiding clients through matters of estate planning and administration, divorce and family law, real estate, commercial litigation, business law, bankruptcy, and landlord-tenant law. If you require the services of an effective New York City attorney, contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.
