Experienced NJ Child Support Lawyers
The issue of child support is often among the most emotionally charged issues parties to a New Jersey divorce must resolve. New Jersey has established guidelines to help family law judges and lawyers for the parties determine appropriate levels of child support in New Jersey divorce actions. The attorneys at Villani & DeLuca, P.C. are experienced in all areas of New Jersey family law, including negotiating child support arrangements.
How Child Support is Calculated
In New Jersey, a court will base the amount of child support on a percentage of both parents’ net income in relation to the number of children being supported. The parent requesting child support usually makes his or her application during a preliminary hearing called a “Pendente Lite Application”. The court will then determine the amount of child support based on State mandated guidelines.
The guidelines also take into account the cost of medical insurance for the children (i.e. the parent who provides for medical insurance and pays for the coverage will receive a credit against his/her child support obligation). The number of overnights the paying spouse has with the children also affects the amount of child support. In the event the paying spouse spends at least two overnights per week with the children, that parent may be obligated to pay child support based on a shared parenting arrangement as opposed to a sole parenting arrangement.
Factors Considered in Determining Child Support
As set forth in N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23(a), in determining the amount of child support, a court considers various factors, including:
- Needs of the child;
- Standard of living and economic circumstances of each parent;
- All sources of income and assets of each parent;
- Earning ability of each parent, including educational background, training, employment skills, work experience, custodial responsibility for children including the cost of providing child care and the length of time and cost of each parent to obtain training or experience for appropriate employment;
- Need and capacity of the child for education, including higher education;
- Age and health of the child and each parent;
- Income, assets and earning ability of the child;
- Responsibility of the parents for the court-ordered support of others;
- Reasonable debts and liabilities of each child and parent; and
- Any other factors the court may deem relevant.
Call An Experienced NJ Child Support Lawyer
To learn more about how Villani & DeLuca, P.C. can help you with your child support issues in New Jersey please contact us at 732-965-3350 today and speak with Vincent C. DeLuca Esq. We represent families throughout Ocean County and Monmouth County New Jersey.
Also check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for some answers to common NJ child support questions.
