The divorced couple’s child moved out of the mother’s home when he was 18, established his own residence, and began paying for all of his own expenses. Thereafter, the father’s petition to terminate his support obligations was granted.
In September 2013, the child returned to the mother’s home. The mother sought to reinstate and modify the father’s support obligation, alleging that the child’s returning home constituted a change of circumstances.
After a hearing, Richmond County Family Court Support Magistrate Janele Hyer-Spencer determined that the child’s unemancipated status had been revived. The Magistrate calculated the father’s child support obligation based upon an imputed income of $103,310, awarding arrears totaling $29,752.92.
The father filed objections that were denied by Family Court Judge Arnold Lim. The father appealed.
In its June 14, 2017 decision in Monti v. DiBedendetto, the Appellate Division, Second Department held that the Support Magistrate had properly determined that the child was no longer emancipated.
Emancipation of the child suspends a parent’s support obligations. Children of employable age are emancipated if they become economically independent of their parents through employment, and are self-supporting. A child’s unemancipated status may be revived provided there has been a sufficient change in circumstances to warrant the corresponding change in status.
Here, the record supported the Support Magistrate’s conclusion that the child was no longer economically, nor constructively emancipated. The evidence demonstrated that the child, who was enrolled in and attending college, voluntarily returned to the mother’s home in or around September 2013. Although the child was employed part-time and received an annual sum of $30,000 from a personal injury settlement, the evidence also demonstrated that the child was saving that money for future use and was not utilizing any of that money toward his own living expenses. The mother paid for all of the household expenses and food, as well as for the child’s car insurance, cell phone service, clothing, and personal items.
As a result, reinstatement of the father’s support obligation was proper.
Matthew S. Zuntag, of Staten Island, represented the father. Pamela Seider Dolgow and Elizabeth I. Freedman of the office of Zachary W. Carter, New York City Corporation Counsel, represented the mother.