What Happens if I Stop Paying Child Support?
If you are under a court ordered obligation to pay child support, stopping payments will result in consequences. You cannot stop payments unless there is a reason for it and it will need to be agreed upon with the court before relief is granted. The excuse that you cannot pay because you can’t afford it may, in fact, be a good excuse, but as long as you are under a court order, you must pay that money. You must quickly go to court in order to get that order modified or vacated to give you legal permission to stop payments.
In New York, child support payments do not usually last after the child turns 21. Sometimes these circumstances could extend after they turn 21 and while they are in college. In some cases child support payment are stopped prematurely as well. No matter the case, unless the court grants you permission to cease payments, you are legally required to financially support the children until they are 21, unless the papers say otherwise.
Robert Pollack is an experienced divorce and family law attorney in Long Island, New York. Contact The Pollack Law Firm, P.C., to set up a free initial consultation.
