New Jersey Child Support Calculation

Depending on many different elements, the value of child support payments must be determined. If you and your child’s other parent are separated or divorced, you may need help handling New Jersey child support calculation from a dedicated attorney. By working with a child support lawyer who has experience handling complicated custody and support issues, you may better know what is owed for your child’s best interests.

Key Factors for Determining Payment

While many people may believe that support payments are partially determined based on the length the couple was married, the duration of the marriage has nothing to do with calculating payments. In fact, the parties do not even have to be married in order for one party to get child support. All that must be shown is that there is parentage.

When calculating child support, the New Jersey courts will take into account income from all sources including profit from rental properties or dividends from a trust or a stock account that yields additional income. Some people mistakenly believe that they can reduce their child support obligation by hiding money in assets, but as long as those assets create income, they will be factored into the support payment calculations.

Determining Earning Capacity

There are some instances where a person has what attorneys call “RAIDS” (recently-acquired income deficiency syndrome) in which they quit their job or take other action to portray that they cannot pay child support. However, when someone has a child but is not working, they still have an obligation to financially support their family.

If the person does not have an income from a job, the court may use an imputation of income to that party in which case the court will account for the individual’s education, profession, past experience, resume, what jobs have they held, and their qualifications. The court would then assign an income for the purposes of making a child support calculation. However, in some cases, a person may be considered disabled, and accordingly, the child would receive a supplemental support award from the parent’s government disability check.

Receiving Child Support Before a Court Date

Even before a final settlement, it may still be possible for one party to receive child support. The parties may be able to come to a personal agreement for the welfare of the child, or they could potentially get their attorneys involved to come an arrangement before the case gets to court. Additionally, until there is a final custody and support order in place, there may be a temporary measure which may include certain orders for financial contribution. However, it is important to know in these situations that support requirements may deviate from the state prescribed deadlines.

Let an Attorney Help You Calculate a Fair Child Support Payment

While most child support arrangements will be created based off the state guidelines, every situation is unique and may be impacted by various factors. In situations like these, it is very important to have a skilled attorney who is familiar with the process of New Jersey child support calculation. By working closely with an attorney, you may be able to better understand what child support will cost you on a monthly and yearly basis, and help convince a judge for a fair arrangement. To learn more and get started, call an attorney right away to schedule a consultation.