New York Maintenance and Child Support Attorneys

Resolving Financial Support Disputes Throughout Long Island and Metro New York

When spouses plan to divorce, they need to work together to determine financial support arrangements. Depending on the situation, financial support may include child support for any minor dependents and spousal maintenance for the lower-earning spouse (also called “alimony”). When spouses can’t agree on these items, they may need to negotiate them in mediation or litigate them before a judge. 

If you live in or around Long Island or Metro New York and need help with child support or spousal maintenance, SOK can help. Whether it’s through collaborative law, mediation, or litigation, our experienced attorneys can assist you with settlement negotiations and represent your interests every step of the way. We can help you determine how New York’s alimony and child support laws apply to your circumstances, and work with you to gather evidence demonstrating your need and financial obligations. 

If you’re facing financial support disputes, contact our maintenance and child support lawyers today.

Protecting Your Financial Interests in a Divorce

Spousal Maintenance 

Post-divorce spousal maintenance is a court order where one spouse pays the other monthly payments to help with living expenses after the divorce. It can also ensure that both spouses have enough money to maintain their standard of living during the post-divorce transition period. Courts might also issue temporary maintenance orders, which establish payment arrangements to support the lower-earning spouse during the divorce process. 

New York courts account for several factors when calculating alimony, including the length of the marriage, each spouse’s standard of living during the marriage, their income and earning potential, their age and health, custody arrangements, the distribution of property, tax consequences of potential arrangements, and anything else they deem appropriate. Courts might also consider how much time and money it will take for the lower-earning spouse to acquire the education or training they need to become financially independent, if possible. 

Child Support

Child support typically goes hand in hand with child custody. Child support is an arrangement of court-ordered payments from one parent to the other for their children’s care and living expenses. This includes basic needs, like food and housing, as well as education, healthcare, and extracurricular costs. In general, courts strive to make sure custodial parents consistently receive enough money to provide for their children while also ensuring both parents are financially responsible for their children’s upbringing. 

In New York, judges rely on an “Income Shares” model when calculating child support. This model considers both parents’ combined income and how much it would cost to provide for a child if that child lived with both parents. This provides a transparent and efficient way for courts to accurately calculate child support. When executed properly, with the help of a lawyer, this system should give you greater assurance that your child will receive the financial support they need.

Our New York maintenance and child support attorneys can help pursue arrangements that protect your financial interests. Call (516) 877-8000 to discuss your case.