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Child Support

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Child Support

South Jersey Attorneys Helping Parents Reach Fair Child Support Arrangements

Whether you will be paying child support or receiving it, you want the same thing: an arrangement that is fair and that gives your children what they need. Child support is a parent’s legal obligation to help provide for a child, and in New Jersey the right to that support belongs to the child, not to either parent.

The New Jersey Child Support Guidelines provide a formula for setting support, but applying it is rarely as simple as it looks. Which income is counted, how parenting time is calculated, and which added expenses are included can all change the result. Our attorneys at Adinolfi Roberto & Burick, PA make sure the numbers reflect your family’s real circumstances, whether you are a custodial or non-custodial parent, and whether you share custody or not.

How Child Support Is Calculated in New Jersey

Child support in New Jersey starts with the Child Support Guidelines, which look at both parents’ finances rather than just one. The parent with the higher income, or the parent who has the children for less time, usually pays support to the other. But every case is different, and the guidelines allow for adjustments.

What the Guidelines Consider

Both parents’ net incomes, and in some cases the income a parent is capable of earning
The number of children
Parenting time, including the number of overnights with each parent
Alimony paid or received
Child care costs
Health insurance for the children
Support for other children a parent is responsible for

What Child Support Covers

The basic support amount is meant to cover a child’s everyday needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transportation and entertainment. Some expenses may be added on top of the basic amount or shared separately, including:

Child care
Health insurance and larger unreimbursed medical costs
Special needs of the child
In some cases, private school or college expenses

In higher-income families, the guidelines are a starting point, and the court may consider additional factors. Learn more about the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines.

Mediation & Child Support Arrangements

Child support is often best resolved by agreement. Our attorneys encourage mediation and negotiation whenever possible, and we work with you and your spouse’s attorney to reach an arrangement that protects your children’s best interests. Agreements reached this way tend to be more flexible, less costly, and easier on everyone than a court battle.

The end of a marriage shouldn’t mean the end of the stability your children are used to. A good child support arrangement helps both parents provide a comfortable home, so the children are well cared for in each household.

When an agreement isn’t possible, our attorneys are experienced in presenting child support issues to the court. The financial and emotional strain of litigation can be heavy, and we work to reduce that stress by guiding you through each step and keeping your child’s best interests at the center.

Common Questions About Child Support in New Jersey

We share custody equally. Will anyone pay child support?

Often, yes. Even with equal parenting time, the parent with the higher income may still pay support, because the guidelines consider both incomes as well as time with each parent. Read more about child support in shared custody arrangements.

When does child support end in New Jersey?

Generally, child support ends when a child turns 19. It can continue longer in certain situations, such as when a child is still in high school or attending college, or has a disability. Continuing support past 19 usually requires a timely request to the court.

Do parents have to help pay for college?

New Jersey courts can require parents to contribute to a child’s college expenses. Whether and how much depends on a number of considerations, including the family’s finances and the child’s plans, so it is best addressed with an attorney.

Can child support be changed later?

Yes. Either parent can ask the court to modify support if there has been a substantial and lasting change in circumstances, such as a job loss, a significant change in income, or a change in parenting time. Read about job loss and support obligations.

How is child support paid?

Child support in New Jersey is often paid through income withholding managed by the New Jersey Probation Division, which also keeps a record of payments and can help with enforcement if payments are missed.

I’m the non-custodial parent. What should I know?

Non-custodial parents have both obligations and rights. Understanding how your support is calculated, and what it does and does not cover, is the best way to make sure the arrangement is fair. Read our article for non-custodial parents.

If you have questions about child support, whether you are establishing it, changing it, or enforcing it, contact our Mount Laurel office to schedule a confidential consultation with a South Jersey family law attorney.

Call 856-428-8334

Child Support

Child Support

South Jersey Attorneys Helping Parents Reach Fair Child Support Arrangements

How Child Support Is Calculated in New Jersey

What the Guidelines Consider

What Child Support Covers

Mediation & Child Support Arrangements

Common Questions About Child Support in New Jersey

We share custody equally. Will anyone pay child support?

When does child support end in New Jersey?

Do parents have to help pay for college?

Can child support be changed later?

How is child support paid?

I’m the non-custodial parent. What should I know?

Adinolfi, Roberto & Burick, P.A.

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