After a court decides the best possible situation of custody for a child, they must then figure out the issue of child support. Child support is payments made by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent in order to continue to care for their child after a divorce is final. While only one parent may have physical custody of their child, the other parent is still responsible for payments. The state of New Jersey mandates these payments as both parents are required to financially support their children. Childcare is too costly for one parent to handle alone, so the non-custodial parent must pay their own share. These payments are used solely for matters relating to the child.
Factors to be Considered
There is not a “one size fits all” situation when it comes to determining child support for a family. All cases are different from the one before them. The state created the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines to create a formula that is used to determine child support. The formula takes a number of things into consideration before coming to a decision. It pays attention to factors in both the parents’ and child’s lives in order to come to conclusion about the amount that is due in child support payments. The guidelines acknowledge the following:
- The financial status of each parent
- Who has physical custody of the child
- Any income, debt, and assets of each parent
- Each parent’s earning capacity
- Each parent’s work history
- The child’s needs
- The child’s age/health
- The child’s education
- The cost of providing for the child
When Does Child Support Stop?
A parent is only required to pay child support until the child reaches a certain age. This may vary depending on the child and the family’s situation. In most cases, the state of New Jersey dictates child support to end when a child turns 19 years old. These circumstances are subject to change depending on the family. If a child is disabled, a court may mandate payments to continue until a certain age.
Child support payments may also continue if the child decides to seek higher education after the age of 19. Expenses of college may require the parents to continue their payments. In this case, a court may extend these payments until the child finishes and graduates from college. Parents may have to continue paying for a college education for some of the following reasons:
- The amount of money sought
- The capability of a parent to pay the costs
- The school and course of study
- The child’s commitment
- The child’s finances
- The accessibility of financial aid
- The child’s relationship with both parents
- The financial capacity of the parents
Contact
If you or a family member is seeking representation for a child support case, contact Ross & Calandrillo, LLC. today.
Ross and Calandrillo, LLC is a full-service divorce, family, and real estate law firm located in Mountainside, New Jersey. For strong legal representation in all of your divorce or family law matters, contact Ross and Calandrillo, LLC to schedule a consultation.
