Child Support in New Jersey
Steps You Can Take Today To Protect Your Children
Child Support
Child support is meant to ensure that your children are able to lead healthy and productive lives, both now and in the future. In an extremely direct way, child support is at the heart of what parenting is all about: caring for your children by meeting their needs, no matter which parent they maybe living with at the time.
“When both parents embrace this notion of putting children first, determining child support can turn into a surprisingly positive process for all involved. We also understand that some parents believe that they receive too little to support their children, whilst other parents struggle as they believe they are paying too much. In New Jersey, child support is the right of the child. As parents – whether married or unmarried – this means that we have a legal obligation to financially support our children until they are emancipated.”
Whether you need to establish or modify child support for minor children, or you need help to continue (or challenge) child support payments for adult children, we can help you.
How Are Child Support Payments Calculated?
In most cases, the support amount is based upon an intricate formula known as the New Jersey child support guidelines. This formula provides a clear framework for both parents to meet their payment responsibilities.The guidelines borrow terms from the financial world, using words like credit and deduction to calculate child support.
Some examples of credits include:
- Overnight parenting / visitation time
- Health care premium payments
- Support paid for children from other relationships
- And more
Some examples of deductions include:
- Union dues
- Taxes
- And more
When such credits and deductions are applied to the formula, the final support amount is then adjusted accordingly.
Stop the Presses: Child Support Changes for Adult Children
Asof February 2017, child support automatically terminates atage19, unless an application is made to continue the award. Schedule an initial consultation to discuss extending child support with a family law attorney, or find out more about child support changes.
New Jersey’s New Child
Support & Emancipation Statute
Common Questions About Child Support in New Jersey
During this difficult time, you may find yourself seeking answers to difficult questions regarding child support, including:
- Do the New Jersey support guidelines apply in my case? How do I future-proof our support arrangements?
- When does a child become emancipated?
- When my child goes off to college, does child support continue?
- If a support order is violated, what remedies are available to enforce payment?
- When can child support be modified?
The answers to these and other important questions depend on your particular circumstances and can make a big difference in how your case is resolved.
Do you have questions about calculating child support? Modifying or enforcing child support? Or securing / continuing child support post 19? Schedule an initial consultation with a family law attorney to help safeguard your children’s futures.
So let’s talk! Call us now at (888) 888-0919 to schedule a meeting with an experienced family law attorney.
