White Plains NY Family Law Blog

Most New York-area residents would likely agree that the cost of living nowadays has gotten fairly steep. For some people, though, no amount of money is ever enough. For others, it is a daily battle to support themselves and their children. The recent case of a British socialite, her Wall Street power player ex, and their 5-year-old daughter illustrates just how open to interpretation a child support dispute can become.

The 43-year-old woman and the father of her child are clashing over the involvement of the woman's new boyfriend, a former executive for Goldman Sachs, in their child support agreement. According to the father, who works on Wall Street as a financier, the woman's current lover helped her hide her financial condition in order to receive more money in child support. The father claims that the boyfriend assisted the woman in obtaining over $50,000 per month from a court in Hong Kong, where the woman's family has a home.

As many residents of the New York metro area know, different occupations and life choices can lead to hugely disparate incomes. Many take the high-powered route, while others may spend less time in the working world and more time with other pursuits. In today's day and age, these differences no longer correspond with gender or marital status; as a result, New York and its surrounding suburbs are extremely diverse when it comes to individuals' financial resources.

Often, these differences in income can exist under the same roof, between married partners. In the event of a divorce, money matters often take center stage, with the wealthier spouse seeking to retain their assets and the less-wealthy spouse striving for an equitable outcome as well. Attorneys who specialize in family law have navigated this issue for years, although a related industry's growth points to the subject's continued importance.

Over the past several years, several high-profile cases of missing children have gained wide publicity through television news and the internet. In New York, the infamous case of missing boy Etan Patz brought child abductions into the national spotlight, and more incidents have fueled America's interest in the tragic phenomenon over the years. One recent case out of Seattle has highlighted both missing children and fathers' rights.

In November of 2011, a 30-year-old woman told police in Washington that she was driving her 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter to a medical center when she experienced car trouble, apparently out of gas. According to the woman, she left the stalled, unlocked car with her son inside and walked to a nearby gas station, taking her daughter with her. When she returned to the vehicle, her son had purportedly vanished from the site. According to the boy's father, the child was actually last seen during the spring of 2011, and he himself last glimpsed the boy in 2010.

Raising a child is never easy, but raising someone else's child requires just as much energy, dedication, and emotional involvement. Grandparents throughout New York state are discovering just how much it takes to take on the challenging yet rewarding guardianship role. In Ulster, Sullivan, and Orange Counties, for instance, over 9,000 children are being raised either by their grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other adults besides their biological parents. Statewide, 1 out of every 11 kids experiences being raised by someone who is not their natural parent.

A grandparent, or an aunt or uncle, might become the guardian of a child in New York for many reasons. If a child's biological mother or father passes away or goes missing, for example, the child will need a caring, capable legal guardian. Another need for guardianship action occurs when biological parents are simply unable to care for their child or children anymore. This could be due to trouble with the law, substance abuse, or psychological turbulence. Financial issues can also be behind a guardianship action.