When the parents of a minor child divorce or are no longer living together—or were never married—child support is the amount of money the court orders a parent who does not have primary custody of the child (the noncustodial parent) pay to the parent who does have primary custody (the custodial parent).

In some states the parents may be designated joint managing conservators of the child (joint custody), but one parent is given the right to choose the primary residence of the child, within a geographic area. The parent with this right to choose the child’s primary residence is usually entitled to receive child support payments.

The Office of the Attorney General in your state generally enforces the payment of court-ordered child support. Child support payments generally may be made by direct payment from one parent to the other, or through wage withholding by the employer of the parent who owes child support (the obligor). One advantage to payment by wage withholding is the built-in recordkeeping in the system.

In New York, child support is the financial obligation paid by the noncustodial parent to the custodial parent to contribute to the care and well-being of their minor child. This obligation arises when parents divorce, separate, or if they were never married. New York State law requires both parents to support their child until the child is 21 years old. The amount of child support is determined by the court based on the state's Child Support Standards Act, which considers both parents' income and the number of children to be supported. Even in cases of joint custody, the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the time (residential custodial parent) may be entitled to receive child support from the other parent (non-residential custodial parent). The New York State Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Enforcement Bureau can assist with the enforcement of child support orders. Payments are often made through income execution or wage withholding, which provides a record of payments and ensures consistent support for the child. Direct payments between parents are also possible, but maintaining accurate records of such transactions is crucial.