How is the father's financial responsibility determined in paternity cases?

In New York, paternity cases that involve establishing the legal father and obtaining child support are handled by the Family Court. When establishing paternity and financial responsibility, the court looks at several factors. These include the father’s ability to pay, the needs of the child, the amount of time the father spends with the child, the mother’s income, and the child’s age. The amount of a father’s financial responsibility is typically based on his income. If the father’s income is average, they are expected to pay 18-25% of their net income for child support. However, if the father has greater financial resources than the mother, they may be expected to pay a larger percentage of their income. The court will look at the financial resources available to the father when making this determination. The court also considers the mother’s income when determining the father’s financial responsibility. If the mother does not make enough money to meet the needs of the child, the court may order the father to contribute a larger portion of his income. In addition, if the mother is working full-time, the father may be required to pay a percentage of childcare costs. In all cases, the court’s goal is to ensure that the needs of the child are met. The court looks at the individual case to determine how much the father should contribute, taking into account all the factors mentioned above.

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How is the father's financial responsibility determined in paternity cases?

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