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Best Child Support Lawyers
2022

The Best Child Support Lawyers
Here Are The Top Child Support Lawyers
Divorce Lawyer NY

Divorce Lawyer NY

Divorce Lawyer NY offers legal services for individuals in New York City. Its lawyers help custodial and non-custodial parents determine the amount of child support payments they are entitled to receive and are obliged to pay according to state guidelines. They present calculations and draft income statements based on clients' assets and wages. The legal professionals also provide assistance in enforcing child support orders, and they help clients navigate the process of divorce. Divorce Lawyer NY's team is also licensed to practice in New Jersey.

Brooklyn, NY 11229

Website

Website
Berfas & Associates P.C.

Berfas & Associates P.C.

Berfas & Associates P.C. is a law firm that helps clients in New York City deal with child support matters. Its attorneys assist the non-custodial parent in breaking down the amount to pay towards child support that includes shelter, food, and clothing. They focus on securing payment amounts that can secure the child's overall growth. The firm represent clients in divorce, child custody, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Bradley Berfas, the founding partner, has over 15 years of legal experience.

Lake Success, NY 11042

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Website
Bryant & Bleier LLP

Bryant & Bleier LLP

Bryant & Bleier LLP is a family law firm providing representation in child support disputes to clients throughout the New York City metro area. The compassionate family and child support lawyers in New York are particularly experienced with support modification and they file appeals on behalf of clients who need to increase support, decrease support, or reach agreements with opposite parties via mediation. Since Bryant & Bleier LLP often handles divorce proceedings, it regularly manages child support disputes as part of separation and dissolution proceedings.

New York, NY 10007

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Website
Lois M. Brenner Esq.

Lois M. Brenner Esq.

Lois M. Brenner Esq., is a divorce counsel serving clients in New York City. Brenner handles child support and custody cases, helping parents agree as to the payment sharing scheme for the wellbeing of their offspring. Her practice covers both litigation and mediation. In addition to her 35 years of legal experience, she is a medical professional trained in psychology. A published author on family law, she has appeared on Oprah and Good Morning America.

New York, NY 10028

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Website
David Centeno Law

David Centeno Law

David Centeno Law is a New York City law firm that represents clients in child support cases. It helps clients properly calculate handle child support calculations to prevent the court from rejecting their divorce papers. The firm also helps in resolving child custody and visitation issues. Principal lawyer David Centeno practices family law. He had been selected to be a regular contributor to the Huffington Post as an expert in divorce and family law. Some of his clients have been entrepreneurs and Wall Street executives.

New York, NY 10004

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Website
Robert S. Gershon, P.C.

Robert S. Gershon, P.C.

Robert S. Gershon, P.C. offers a variety of legal services for clients in New York City and its neighboring communities. It provides representation in family law cases involving child support and custody, visitation, spousal support, and protection orders. The firm also handles practice areas such as prenuptial and separation agreements, divorce, and annulment. Its other available services include criminal defense for domestic violence, harassment, and criminal contempt suits. Its owner, Robert S. Gershon, has been practicing law for more than 25 years.

Brooklyn, NY 11201

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Website
Paul W. Matthews Attorney at Law

Paul W. Matthews Attorney at Law

Paul W. Matthews, Attorney at Law, represents divorcees around New York City in litigations and arbitrations for child support matters. The firm is open to integrating clients in the legal process by communicating openly about needs, goals, and the best way to uphold their rights. It helps finalize child support payment agreements or negotiate modifications in obligations. Founder Paul W. Matthews also represents people in small claims courts around Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

New York, NY 10022

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Website
Kleyman Law Firm

Kleyman Law Firm

Kleyman Domestic Relations Law Firm serves its New York City clients by providing child support services. The firm has been around for 17 years specializing in family law, divorce, child and spousal support, as well as domestic violence and family offenses. Its team of attorneys has the legal skills, counseling, and psychology abilities and utilize these to come up with the right strategy for every client's case. Its lawyers are available 24/7 by phone for clients' queries.

New York, NY 10020

Website

Website
New York Family Law Group

New York Family Law Group

New York Family Law Group helps protect the best interests of children and families. The law firm assists clients in navigating child support processes and child support modification orders in New York City. With more than 30 years of combined law experience, its lawyers also represent clients in other family law cases and concerns, such as divorce and visitation issues. One of these lawyers, Ethan Steward, was given the Pro Bono Challenge Award by the New York Bar Association in 2008 and 2009.

Website
Law Office of Vivien I. Stark, P.C.

Law Office of Vivien I. Stark, P.C.

The Law Office of Vivien I. Stark, P.C., is a private firm that serves New York City residents and those from the surrounding areas. It assists clients with negotiation and implementation of court orders in child support proceedings. It also calculates, collects, and enforces child support payments. The practice also handles related issues such as child custody and relocation. Founding attorney Vivien I. Stark has been in the legal profession for over 30 years. She extends her services to the five boroughs of the metro.

New York, NY 10017

Website

Website

Expert Answers To Common Questions:

  1. What does a child support attorney do?
  2. Can I file for child support without an attorney?
  3. What is child support used for?
  4. When do child support payments start?
  5. What is child support based on?
  6. What is included in child support?
  7. How can I check if I owe child support?
  8. Do women pay child support?
  9. Can an attorney advise a parent or guardian to stop paying child support?
  10. How do I get child support when I have full custody?
  11. What is residential custody of a child?
  12. Do you have to be divorced to get child support?
Q: What does a child support attorney do?
A:
A child support attorney is a specialized family law attorney who works primarily or solely on child support cases. These attorneys advocate for clients in a variety of situations, including seeking child support from a resistant partner, paying child support, or recalculating child support payment amounts. Often, child support law is an area of practice within a firm that also handles custody and visitation matters.
Q: Can I file for child support without an attorney?
A:
It is possible to file for child support pro se, or on one’s own behalf. This involves obtaining the necessary forms from the local family court and filling out all required paperwork carefully and on time. The court will then set dates for hearings, which usually must be attended in person. Parents filing without a child support attorney should thoroughly research child support and custody laws to put together a compelling and accurate defense. If you already have a court order, you can seek help in enforcing it from the local office of your state child support agency.
Q: What is child support used for?
A:
Child support is used to divide the financial responsibility for raising a child or children between two separated or divorced parents. This court-ordered payment is typically paid from the higher-income noncustodial parent to the lower-income custodial parent. It's intended to cover the costs of basic necessities for a minor and to maintain his or her standard of living. Child support may also be used to split unexpected expenses that occur during a minor's formative years. Definitions of basic necessities may vary by state.
Q: When do child support payments start?
A:
The administrative order from the state agency or court overseeing the legal proceedings will specify the start date of child support payments and may include retroactive payments. Depending on the state and the case specifics, child support may become effective on the date of the separation, at the time of the legal filing, or on the child's birth date.
Q: What is child support based on?
A:

How child support is calculated depends largely on the state of residence and whether custody is joint or sole. Although every case is unique, states may consider the following factors when determining the amount of child support:

  • Number of children involved
  • Allocation of parenting time
  • Total income
  • Spousal support
  • Social Security and other public benefits
  • Expenses for medical and dental insurance coverage
  • Childcare costs
Q: What is included in child support?
A:

Child support funds are intended to pay for a child's essential needs. Child support attorneys may advocate as to what should and shouldn't be included in the order. The court may expressly define the expenses to be paid for to help both parties understand their responsibilities.

Child support may include the following items and services:

  • Food
  • Shelter costs, including mortgage or rent, utilities, and furnishings
  • Medical expenses, such as medications, eyeglasses, and physician and dental care services
  • Childcare services
  • Educational expenses, including books, school supplies, uniforms, and field trip fees
  • Extracurricular activity costs, such as summer camps, art supplies, or sporting equipment
  • Entertainment costs
  • Transportation and travel expenses
Q: How can I check if I owe child support?
A:

The court order outlines any obligations of child support. Additional questions about payments owed can be routed through the appropriate local child support office. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Child Support Enforcement maintains a list of state agencies and tribal child support agencies throughout the United States and its territories.

Q: Do women pay child support?
A:
Yes. Gender doesn't typically factor into the child support equation. A father who has custodial rights to a child or children may receive support from the child's mother, particularly if she is the higher wage earner. In the case of same-sex couples where two women are raising a child, the noncustodial mother may be required to pay child support.
Q: Can an attorney advise a parent or guardian to stop paying child support?
A:
Child support is a source of financial assistance to a child, not to a primary custodial parent or guardian. As such, there’s no way to circumvent the law and stop paying support if it has been ordered by the court. Child support generally ceases when a child comes of age. However, if circumstances change financially for either parent, a child support lawyer can argue that the amount determined by the court should be reduced. It’s important to note that a deliberate situation, such as quitting a job voluntarily, is usually not a reason for reduced support payments. Judges generally require evidence that circumstances are out of the parent’s control, such as being laid off or furloughed from work.
Q: How do I get child support when I have full custody?
A:
Full custody comes in two different forms: legal and physical. A parent with legal custody has the unilateral authority to make all legal decisions on a child’s behalf. Full physical custody indicates that a child lives with one parent full time. A parent with sole physical and legal custody generally receives larger payments than a parent with joint custody. A lawyer can make an argument in court to ensure that the primary parent gets the support necessary for proper child care.
Q: What is residential custody of a child?
A:
Residential custody, also known as physical custody, refers to where a child lives. A parent who has full residential custody maintains a home for their child on a full-term basis. While the other parent may have visitation rights, they don’t have to provide any kind of permanent housing. In a joint custody case, however, a child may split their time between each parent, living a portion of the year with one parent and a portion with the other.
Q: Do you have to be divorced to get child support?
A:
No, a divorce isn’t required to receive child support. If parents are separated or have already started the divorce process, a parent and their attorney can move forward with filing for child support. Child support can be settled in a different court case outside of divorce proceedings.