In New York State, a Support Magistrate issues an order detailing how much each parent must contribute to the support of their child. This order is based on a formula in the Child Support Standards Act, and the Magistrate will use that formula as a guideline to ensure that a child is properly provided for. However, parents have the ability to create their own plan for supporting their children and submit that plan to the Magistrate for approval. The Peacemaker Program, Inc. has mediators on hand who can help to explain the guidelines and guide your family toward a plan that works better for you.
Our mediators will help you work through the formula in the Child Support Standards Act, showing you the presumptively correct amount for each parent to contribute and defining some terms to make the process easier to understand. Once that is clear, the process can begin of customizing a support plan that ensures that your children remain healthy, happy, and taken care of in a way that your family finds acceptable. This plan can be submitted to the Support Magistrate for approval, and if accepted, can then be enforced. Nobody knows the needs of your family better than you, and using mediation to choose your own plan rather than making yourselves adversaries in the courtroom offers a long list of advantages. All of this is available without cost to the parties, and without the adversarial environment that courts and attorneys often create. If you find yourself confused, overwhelmed, or in disagreement over the support of your child, please contact us today.
