By Nancy Nissen, Esq.
When a marriage in New York state ends, a couple’s financial responsibilities to their children do not end with it. What changes is how that obligation is calculated, formalized and enforced. When parents separate or no longer live together, their financial responsibilities to their children continue. In New York, child support laws apply whether the parents were married, divorced, never married, or were previously in a domestic relationship.
Child support laws in New York state establish a structured framework governing the amount of child support owed, what expenses it covers, and how a court order is maintained over time. Understanding how that framework operates, from initial calculation through potential modification, matters for any parent navigating a divorce that involves minor children.
The Child Support Standards Act (CSSA)
The Child Support Standards Act (CSSA), enacted in 1989, is the governing statute for child support in New York. It replaced a system of broad judicial discretion with a uniform formula applicable statewide, producing consistent results and ensuring that children receive a standard of living tied to the combined resources of both parents. The CSSA formula determines the basic child support obligation, or the amount intended to cover a child’s food, clothing, and shelter. Mandatory and discretionary add-on expenses are calculated separately and added to that baseline.
How New York Calculates Basic Child Support
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