Divorces can impact an entire family. They separate and change a life that was built by two people over time. This can be difficult to separate, as spouses’ lives are often tied together in many ways. This is especially so if they have children together. It is because of this that one spouse may be required to make support payments to the other after the divorce. This is done as a form of assistance so that life can continue the way it did when they were married, without any new burdens. There are two types of payments that may be required of a spouse after a divorce is over. This includes spousal support and child support.
Spousal Support
When a couple is together for a long period of time, they often combine their finances and assets. When this happens, they must be divided when they go through a divorce. Sometimes, one spouse may be the breadwinner in the family or they may be the only source of income, while the other parent is the caretaker at home. When this happens, it can leave the spouse without an income of their own in an unfair financial state after a divorce. Without money of their own, they are unable to move on after a divorce to build a new life of their own.
In these situations, the independent spouse may owe the dependent spouse court-ordered payments for a required period of time This is known as spousal support or alimony. These payments help the dependent spouse live comfortably and have the opportunity to gain their own independence. There are different types of alimony that are required depending on the former spouses’ situations. This can include open durational alimony, limited duration alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and reimbursement alimony.
Child Support
When a couple has children together, they must determine child support payments during the divorce proceedings. When a parent has physical custody of their child, they are the one that is required to provide the child with shelter, clothes, food, and more. This can become very overwhelming and expensive for one parent to handle on their own. This is why the state of New Jersey requires both parents to financially assist their child after the divorce. This requires the non-custodial parent to make payments to the other parent for the child to ensure they maintain the life they were accustomed to before the divorce.
A parent must pay child support until the child reaches the age of emancipation. This age can vary on a case to case basis depending on the needs of the child. Generally, the age of emancipation in New Jersey is 19 years old. However, a court may extend payments under certain circumstances. To end support payments, a parent must file with the court to declare that their child is emancipated. If the court agrees, the payments can end.
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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.
