The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting upheavals have caused numerous hardships for New York families. Among the most acute are financial issues stemming from lost jobs, postponed careers, closed businesses, restricted working hours and other impacts. This has made it difficult to meet financial obligations, including marital and child support payments.
The holiday season has arrived and now even more financial pressure is put on families. Williamson, Clune & Stevens, divorce lawyers in Ithaca, Elmira, Binghamton and Syracuse, understand the pressures that families face during the holidays.
Holiday Gift Buying
The holidays are when we observe the traditions of exchanging gifts with friends and loved ones. Many families that are already struggling are facing increased pressure because of holiday gifts that are expected each year. Although spouses may have faced obstacles in making support payments on time throughout the year, the traditional holiday gift buying is often viewed as a necessity that must be completed at any cost. This can lead to unwise expenditures, payday or title loans or other unsound means of obtaining short-term cash that bring even more financial pressures.
Holiday Travel
The same set of expectations attached to holiday gifts can be connected to holiday travel as well. Although much travel has been discouraged this holiday season due to heightened concerns over COVID-19, many families will still travel to visit with distant relatives. This added expense for travel can place an undue burden on families at what is already a difficult time.
End of Year Tax Pressures
Adults know that just after the joy of the holidays has passed, it’s time to prepare for tax season. Many taxpayers have no idea what that will look like in light of the COVID-19 stimulus payments, irregular working seasons and other financial conundrums. Tax season is usually a source of concern, but this year, it will place even more pressure on struggling families who are already having trouble making support payments and meeting other obligations.
Seek Help from Community-Focused Divorce Lawyers in Ithaca, Elmira, Binghamton and Syracuse
If your family is having trouble meeting your court-ordered support obligations, Williamson, Clune & Stevens, divorce lawyers in Ithaca, Cortland, Binghamton and Syracuse, can offer some solutions. We do not recommend incurring more debt or turning to high-interest lenders for temporary fixes. We can help you craft and file a petition to modify your support agreements to reflect recent financial changes, especially in light of COVID-19.
Call or send us a message online to ask about this or other options, or advice for how to handle issues you have with meeting your spousal or child support payments. We are here to help you and we care about your well-being. Call today and let us help.