Across New York State, more parents than ever are stepping up and doing exactly what the family court system encourages:

being fully present, actively involved, and equally committed to raising their children. Fathers and mothers alike are fighting for, and being granted, true 50/50 custody—sharing school responsibilities, medical decisions, daily routines, and the emotional and physical care that children need to thrive.

But despite this progress, there is a serious and growing problem. Even in true 50/50 custody arrangements, where children spend equal time in both homes, one parent is often still ordered to pay child support—simply because they earn more.

This creates a system that feels fundamentally unfair. When parenting time is equal, the responsibilities are equal. Each parent is feeding the children, clothing them, providing a home, maintaining transportation, covering daily expenses, and ensuring their well-being during their custodial time.

These costs are not shared—they are duplicated across two households. The parent paying child support in these situations is not absent. They are not uninvolved. They are not failing to provide.

They are already doing everything a parent is supposed to do—and then being required to pay additional financial support on top of that. ⸻

 A Personal Story:

I am one of those parents. I have my children half of the time. I make sure they get to school, help with homework, provide meals, buy their clothes, take care of their daily needs, and give them a safe and stable home. I am present in their lives every single day that I have them—and even when I don’t, I am still involved.

 I didn’t walk away from my responsibilities. I stepped up. I fought to be an equal parent because my children deserve that. And I continue to show up for them—emotionally, physically, and financially. But despite having true 50/50 custody, I am still required to pay child support. That means I am supporting my children in my home 50% of the time, while also being required to financially support another household on top of that—simply because I earn more income.

This creates a real and ongoing financial strain. It impacts my ability to provide equally in my own home. It creates stress that should not exist in a situation where both parents are doing their part. And it turns what should be a balanced co-parenting relationship into something unequal and frustrating.

This is not about avoiding responsibility. I take pride in supporting my children. But there is a difference between supporting your children—and being required to carry an additional financial burden despite already doing your fair share. No parent who is equally present, equally involved, and equally responsible should be placed in that position.

⸻ In many cases, this imbalance does not benefit the children—it creates inequality between households, unnecessary financial strain, and increased conflict between parents. Child support was designed to protect children from neglect and ensure they are cared for when one parent is not contributing equally. It was never meant to penalize a parent who is fully present, equally involved, and already financially supporting their children half of the time.

Yet under the current structure in New York, income alone can outweigh equal parenting—leading to outcomes where one parent is effectively subsidizing the other, even when both are raising the children equally.

This is not a reflection of modern parenting. Today, many parents: • Share custody equally • Split responsibilities evenly • Maintain two stable homes for their children • Cover their own direct expenses during their parenting time The law should reflect this reality.

⸻ We Are Calling for Change We are calling on New York State lawmakers to take a serious and necessary look at how child support is applied in true 50/50 custody cases.

We are asking for reform that ensures fairness, balance, and common sense, including:

 • Ending automatic child support obligations based solely on income when custody is truly 50/50

• Recognizing that equal parenting time should carry equal financial responsibility

 • Allowing clearer and more consistent deviations from the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) in shared custody cases

 • Preventing financial outcomes that place one parent at a disadvantage despite equal involvement

• Encouraging cooperative co-parenting by removing unnecessary financial conflict When one parent is forced to carry both their own household expenses and additional child support—

despite having the children half of the time—it creates stress, instability, and resentment that ultimately impacts the children.

 Children benefit most when both homes are stable, supported, and able to meet their needs equally. Fairness between parents directly contributes to stability for children.

 ⸻ Closing This is not about avoiding responsibility. This is about recognizing responsibility that is already being met—every single day—by parents who are present, engaged, and committed.

It is time for New York to modernize its approach and acknowledge that: Equal custody should mean equal responsibility—not unequal financial burden.

If you believe that parents who show up equally should be treated equally under the law… If you believe that supporting children should not come at the cost of unfairly burdening one parent…

 If you believe that fairness leads to better outcomes for families… Sign this petition and help bring attention to the need for child support reform in 50/50 custody cases across New York State.