New Jersey Child Support Lawyer for Men

Child support concerns the amount of financial support a child needs to have their basic expenses met. When a child doesn’t live with both parents full time due to a divorce, the higher earning parent may be ordered to pay child support by the court. Child support may be negotiable between the parents if you don’t require the court’s intervention.

Parents want what’s best for their child, so you’re probably very invested in your kid’s child support arrangement. We’d highly recommend working with a child support lawyer who will help you determine what’s best for yourself and your child when it comes to your finances.

First, ask your NJ lawyer whether it may be beneficial to discuss child support with your ex. If you’re on good terms, you may be able to agree to a lower monthly payment. If you have a contentious relationship with your coparent, your lawyer can explain how your child support hearing will go and the criteria the judge uses to determine support.

Child support does not dictate custody. Unfortunately, even if you have been paying your child support on time each month, you will have to speak with a lawyer to have your custody arrangement modified. However, you always have a right to see your child, and the court will work to create a parenting time arrangement that protects your rights as a father.

Child support ensures your child is adequately cared for even after your divorce. It is meant to cover basic expenses that the custodial parent may not be able to afford on his or her own. However, if you’re on the same page as your coparent, you do have the option to waive child support.

Your lawyer can help you request a paternity test prior to any further court hearings to ensure you are only involved if you are the child’s biological father.

Child support is determined based on which parent earns more and which parent has primary custody of the child. Even if you split custody with your ex 50/50, you may still be ordered to pay child support based on your income.

There are serious consequences for ignoring a court order. If you feel your child support is too high, contact a lawyer to discuss the possibility of requesting a modification to the order. In the meantime, be sure to continue paying on time each month to avoid penalties.

You’ll need to request a modification of the order based on financial factors in your life. A judge likely won’t agree to modify your monthly support obligation unless something has recently changed in your life (or your coparents’): a significant salary increase or decrease, the loss of a job, etc.

New Jersey child support guidelines lay out a number of factors that go into determining the overall amount of child support the primary caregiver will receive from the other parent:

• The gross income of both parties
• The amount of time each parent spends with the child
• The needs of the child
• Daycare and schooling costs
• Medical expenses

Once the court determines the payment per the guidelines, those payments will most likely continue until the child reaches the age of emancipation.

Custody, and by extension, child support, is never final. So long as you can prove there has been a substantial change of circumstances warranting modification of custody/parenting time, custody/parenting time may be modified. If custody/parenting time is to be modified, you must also prove that the modification would be in the best interest of the child.

• The parents’ ability to agree, communicate and cooperate in matters relating to the child;
• The parents’ willingness to accept custody and any history of unwillingness to allow parenting time not based on substantiated abuse;
• The interaction and relationship of the child with its parents and siblings;
• The history of domestic violence, if any;
• The safety of the child and the safety of either parent from physical abuse by the other parent;
• The preference of the child when of sufficient age and capacity to reason so as to form an intelligent decision;
• The needs of the child;
• The stability of the home environment offered;
• The quality and continuity of the child’s education;
• The fitness of the parents;
• The geographical proximity of the parents’ homes;
• The extent and quality of the time spent with the child prior to or subsequent to the separation;
• The parents’ employment responsibilities; and
• The age and number of the children.

This analysis is very fact sensitive and no two cases are alike. Therefore, it would be necessary to have more information in order to provide you with a more precise response. You should speak with an experienced family law attorney to ensure your interests are protected.

The following link may be helpful to you. https://www.micklinlawgroup.com/webinar-archive/#1560289947490-61347554-659d

Child support is an area that sees a lot of traction when it comes to modification requests. These often arise in situations where one parent’s income has changed drastically in either direction. They also arise when the circumstances surrounding the child change, including situations where parenting time has changed or where a child’s financial needs increase for school or activities.