New Hampshire Petition for Custody and Support

If you do NOT want to get a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you can start a case called a Petition for Custody and Support of Minor Children. This lets the court make custody and visitation orders and other orders.

The law doesn't specify an age at which the court must take into consideration a child's preference. That's because age doesn't determine maturity level. So it's conceivable that a judge might take into account the wishes of a young, mature child, but not those of an older, less responsible one.

If there is some type of court action involving the children (divorce, custody, visitation, child support, etc.) that is in process, then it may be illegal for you to take the children out of state, even temporarily, without permission from the judge and/or consent of the other parent.

How do I get an application for child support services? ; request an application by email at BCSS-CIU@dhhs.nh.gov (please indicate "Application Request" in the subject line and include your full name and mailing address in body of email); or contact your local DHHS District Office.

Fathers in the state of New Hampshire have an equal right to child support as mothers, and they also have equal access to the services provided by the Division of Child Support Services.

New Hampshire's child support guidelines provide a formula for determining how much child support an absent parent is required to pay. Generally the amount is 25% of adjusted gross income for one child; 33% for two children; 40% for three children; and 45% for four or more children.

The law doesn't specify an age at which the court must take into consideration a child's preference. That's because age doesn't determine maturity level. So it's conceivable that a judge might take into account the wishes of a young, mature child, but not those of an older, less responsible one.

It shall be presumed that the parent intends to abandon the child who has been left by his parent without provision for his identification or who has been left by his parent in the care and custody of another without any provision for his support, or without communication from such parent for a period of 6 months.

Along with Utah, the National Parents Organization lists seven states as having laws most supportive of shared parenting Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota and South Dakota.