Child Support Attorneys Near You in New Jersey
Between covering everyday expenses and dealing with the upheaval of a separation or divorce, providing adequate support for your children can be challenging. Our family law attorneys at Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC, led by Angelo Sarno, understand the legal complexities, financial issues, and personal challenges involved in child support cases. Our child support lawyers in New Jersey are dedicated to serving families and work tirelessly to protect your child’s best interests. We can help you establish support, modify an existing order, and assist with payment enforcement or any other family law issues that arise.
What Is Child Support?
Child support payments are made by one parent to help cover the costs of raising children after a separation or divorce. In New Jersey, every child is entitled to share in the income of both parents, regardless of where they live or how much money the custodial parent makes. Our family law attorneys are well-versed in the rules and laws surrounding child support and can help you understand how it works in New Jersey.
How Child Support Is Calculated in New Jersey
New Jersey uses state-approved guidelines and a structured formula to determine child support amounts. The formula considers the combined gross incomes of both parents, minus deductions such as taxes, mandatory retirement contributions, and other child support obligations. In addition to looking at income and assets, the family court considers other factors that can impact child support, including:
- Child custody and parenting time
- The physical, mental, and emotional needs of the child
- The number of children involved
- Childcare expenses
- Educational expenses
- Health insurance premiums
- Uncovered medical expenses
- Other child support obligations
A judge may also consider additional factors specific to the case. Each family’s situation is different and child support calculations can often be complicated. Our knowledgeable child support lawyers ensure that any support you pay or receive is fair and appropriate. Our New Jersey family law attorneys can also help you resolve any disputes that may arise.
How Child Support is Paid in New Jersey
Child support payments are usually paid monthly and are intended to help cover essential expenses such as housing, food, clothing, education, and medical care. Unlike spousal support or alimony, child support is meant strictly for the child’s benefit, not the custodial parent’s personal use. Child support is usually paid through the New Jersey Family Support Payment Center (FSPC), which acts as the state’s centralized processing agency.
In many cases, child support is automatically deducted by the paying parent’s employer, who forwards the payment to the FSPC, which then distributes funds to the custodial parent. This method helps to ensure payments are made regularly and on time. In cases where income withholding isn’t possible, the parent must send payments directly to the FSPC. Child support payments can be made online, by mail, or at authorized payment locations.
Child Support Modification
Life changes such as job loss, a raise, or health issues can significantly affect a parent’s financial situation. However, it must be a proven substantial change for a judge to consider modifying an existing order. This includes:
- Changes to child custody arrangements or parenting time
- Loss of employment
- A significant increase or decrease in income
- Illness or disability
- Incarceration
- Change in the child’s needs (medical, educational, or otherwise)
- Having another child
- Cost-of-living increases
New Jersey courts require clear proof of these changes before modifying support. Typically, temporary or anticipated changes do not qualify for child support modification. If you believe your order needs to be adjusted, a family law attorney can help you file for child support modification and gather the necessary documentation to back your claim. We can advise you of your options and help you file for modification if your financial circumstances have changed.
Child Support Enforcement
Unfortunately, some parents fail to pay court-ordered child support. When this happens, the custodial parent can ask the court to enforce the order. Enforcement measures may include:
- Wage garnishment
- Interest on unpaid support
- Seizing assets
- Property liens
- Interception of tax refunds, lottery winnings, or personal injury settlements
- Credit bureau reporting
- Suspension of driver’s, recreational, and professional licenses
- Passport denial
- Bench warrants or incarceration
Our experienced New Jersey child support lawyers can help you pursue enforcement quickly and effectively if a parent falls behind on child support.
Termination of Child Support
Generally, in New Jersey, child support is terminated when a child turns 19. However, support can continue past 19 for a child who is still in high school, attending full-time post-secondary education, or has a disability. Child support also ends if a child is legally emancipated, dies, gets married, or joins the military before the age of 19. If you need help ensuring support is terminated or requesting continuation of support for a child who’s disabled or attending school, our family law attorneys can help.
Why Choose Our New Jersey Child Support Lawyers?
We understand that child support isn’t just about money. It’s also about protecting your child’s well-being and future. Our team includes certified matrimonial law attorneys with decades of experience representing clients in New Jersey family courts. Our child support attorneys know that each situation is unique, and provide personalized, creative legal strategies tailored to your family’s specific needs and circumstances.
Tenacious, Compassionate Legal Advocacy You Can Trust
Angelo and his team are skilled negotiators and provide strong legal advocacy both outside and inside the courtroom. Whether it’s through negotiation, litigation, or alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration, our family law attorneys help clients settle disputes involving divorce, child custody, support, alimony, property division, and more. Our law firm was selected by peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers® in the fields of Family Law, Family Law Mediation, Mediation, and Arbitration – Plaintiffs.
Our family law attorneys understand that dealing with child support can be stressful and complicated. Our goal is to make the process smoother, protect your rights, and ensure your child receives the financial support they deserve. To learn more, check out our New Jersey Child Support Guide.
Find an Experienced Child Support Lawyer Near You in New Jersey
If you’re dealing with support issues, the family lawyers at Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC are ready to help protect your child’s financial security. To schedule a consultation with child support attorney near you in New Jersey, contact us or call 973-274-5200. We offer several convenient locations near you in Roseland, Bridgewater, Hackensack, Morristown, and Eatontown, NJ.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Support in New Jersey
What’s the Difference Between Alimony and Child Support?
Alimony provides financial support for a former spouse, while child support is intended specifically for a child’s needs.
Who Pays Child Support in a Shared Custody Arrangement?
It depends. When parents share 50/50 custody, support may still be required if one parent pays more of the child’s expenses or their incomes vary significantly.
Can I Stop Paying Child Support if I Lose My Job?
No. If you’re unable to make payments for any reason, it’s important to contact a family law attorney who can help you take swift action and request a child support modification from the court.
How Do I Establish Paternity to Get Child Support in New Jersey?
If a child’s father disputes paternity, your child support attorney can help you file a paternity action. A judge may order DNA testing, and once paternity is confirmed, the court can issue a child support order.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Child Support Case?
Although you’re not required to have a lawyer for child support disputes in New Jersey, hiring a family law attorney greatly increases your chances of securing a fair outcome and can help you avoid costly, drawn-out court battles.
