subject: Utilize Your Father [print this page] Child support is the payment of money to a custodial parent by a non custodial parent. Support is determined based on the non custodial parent's income and the needs of the child. Monetary support is paid until the child graduates from high school or becomes eligible to maintain himself usually at age 16 or in New York, age 21. Child support is collected by the state in which the child resides and sent to the custodial parent. The judge who determines the legal custody of the child usually determines the amount of support that is to be paid to the custodial parent.
Since a court is more likely to give custody to the mother especially if alimony is going to be paid her by her former spouse, father"s rights becomes an issue in regards to support of the child. A mother who has custody of their child is not legally allowed to withhold visitation rights or father s rights in regards to his child. However, if a custodial parent is living in another state or city, the custodial parent is not obligated to help the non custodial parent in regards to visitation rights. The non custodial parent is obligated to pick up his child at the child's residence. If the distance is more than can be easily crossed in visitation, that does not release the non custodial parent from the demands of the court in regards to payment of his support.
There are legal agencies that can find the non custodial parent who has been remiss in payment of his support. Those agencies can have the non custodial parent arrested if he makes no attempt to paying the court mandated support. There are laws that protect the rights of the child to support from his non custodial parent even if his custodial parent remarries. In determining support, the court views both parents as being responsible to take care of their child's needs. The marriage of either parent to other people does not free the parents of the child from his right to be supported by his parents. The rights of the child are of primary concern to the court that is determining custody and support from either parent. Since both parents are presumed to be obligated to support their child, the parent who shows the most income is usually the one the court assigns support to.
