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Parents have a legal obligation to support their children, whether or not they were married to each other. The amount of the obligation is determined by the parties’ incomes and the children’s expenses and is calculated using established support guidelines. Support guidelines vary by state and both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have their own established guidelines with different considerations. A child support lawyer can help you understand your obligations and responsibilities under these guidelines.
In Pennsylvania, a Child Support Obligation Ends When the Child Turns 18 or Graduates from High School, Whichever Occurs Later.
In New Jersey, the Obligation May Last Longer and Can Include a Contribution to a Child’s College Education.
Both states’ guidelines provide for a basic amount of monthly support to be paid to the parent (or guardian) with whom the child(ren) primarily live. If you have an equally shared custody arrangement, a higher-income parent may still be required to pay support to the lower-income parent. In addition to basic child support, other items may be added to a support payment, such as contributions to the cost of child care, health care and school tuition.
In addition to child support, Pennsylvania and New Jersey provide for support to be paid to a spouse under certain circumstances. Alimony pendente lite may be awarded while a divorce is pending; alimony is the term used for payments to an ex-spouse once a divorce is finalized.
The judge will apply the child support guidelines set forth by state law. They will take into account a number of factors in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including:
Here are some of the most frequently asked question we recieve regarding child support in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
It depends on your income and that of the other parent. In equally shared custody cases, if there is enough of an income disparity between the parties, then child support may be required to be paid by one party.
No. The parent receiving child support does not need to identify what the money is spent on or prove that it was actually spent on the child.
Private school tuition may be included in a child support action in certain circumstances. The question for the court is if the cost is a reasonable expense which will be based on the incomes of the parties as well as factors like where the child, or other children, were previously enrolled in school.
Agreed upon extracurricular activities, or those the child has been participating in, are usually paid for between the parties in proportion to their incomes pursuant to a child support order. In most cases, the expenses are not added to the order unless they are regularly occurring expenses.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey require both of a child’s parents to contribute to the child’s support. If you have custody of your child, the non-custodial parent still has an obligation to contribute financially. That’s not always easy to achieve. If you’re struggling with child support issues, you need to hire a family law attorney who is ready to represent in obtaining proper support for you and your child(ren).
At BKW Family Law, we have decades of experience helping parents successfully litigate support matters in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We represent clients through all aspects of family law with tenacity and dedication, offering dependable legal assistance. Speak with one of our lawyers about your case by scheduling a consultation.