How is the amount of child support decided?

Child support is a marital issue that is decided upon at the time when parents divorce. The intention of child support is to provide children with the financial support they need while they are unable to provide for themselves. Children can require a great amount of care, but this care also includes money for everyday items that they need. The court acts with the best interests of the child in mind to make sure that they will be provided for in the best way possible. The judge will review various factors regarding the family dynamic, the parents and of course, the child’s position in this family. These factors can consist of the financial status of each parent, each party’s work history and each party’s earning capacity. In addition, the income, debt and assets of each parent are considered to see how much financial support they can give to the child.

The amount of time the child spends living with each parent is also taken into consideration. If one parent is deemed as the custodial parent, they may be given child support payments since they spend more time providing for the child’s needs. These factors take into account how much each parent provides for the child throughout the years and how much they can provide in the future to ensure a stable living situation for the child.

At what age does child support end?

The laws in the state of New Jersey do not provide a specific age when child support is intended to end. Certain situations may lead to a change or an end to child support payments. However, there is no specific age when the child will no longer receive these payments for financial support. One option to file for the end of child support is when one parent releases the other from their duty to pay child support. This must be done in a written agreement to prove that it is a valid situation. Child support may also end when a child turns 19 and is considered to be financially independent. A parent can ask the court to file papers to name the child as emancipated, which ends the child support structure.

If you require strong legal representation for matters related to divorce or family law, Haber Silver Russoniello & Dunn is here to help. We proudly represent clients in Morris County and throughout the state of New Jersey. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.