What to Expect at a Hackensack Child Support Meeting
Child support can be a difficult topic in a divorce. Parents may project their worries about their relationship with their children post-divorce into discussions. Negotiations can get emotional and sometimes unproductive.
Moskowitz Law Group focuses on helping people navigate complex issues like child support. Working with an experienced family law attorney will ensure you know what to expect at a Hackensack child support meeting.
Financial Support is a Child’s Right
Every child has the right to share in their parents’ resources. The right exists regardless of whether the parent lives with the child. Even when a parent has no relationship with their child, or the child refuses to spend time with a parent, the parent must provide financial support.
Because financial support is a child’s right, a parent cannot waive it. When a custodial parent has ample resources and does not want or need financial support from the other parent, the obligation of the non-custodial parent to provide support in some form to the child cannot be waived.
Judges often make temporary child support orders when couples file for divorce or custody to ensure the children have what they need while the legal proceedings are pending. Ideally, Hackensack parents negotiate a permanent child support arrangement while the proceedings are ongoing and submit their agreement to the Court. The Court must approve the child support arrangements between parents and ensure they support the best interests of the children.
The Purpose of a Child Support Meeting
New Jersey Court Rule 5:6A contains the State’s Child Support Guidelines. The guidelines provide a child support amount according to a formula based on varios factors such as income, overnights that each parent spends with a child, child care, and health insurance, but determining what numbers to plug into the formula can be complicated. In addition, there are often extras the parents have been providing their children that the guidelines do not take into consideration. Parents often achieve a better and more workable result when they negotiate a child support agreement that accounts for these issues.
A meeting in Hackensack between the parents and their attorneys to work out a child support agreement is often advisable. The parties can consider issues like the cost of providing health and dental insurance, extracurricular activities, travel, and any special needs the children might have. When parties agree on a child support arrangement, a judge will usually approve it if the parties agree the arrangement serves the children’s best interests.
The length of the negotiations depends on many factors, including the complexity of the couple’s finances and the degree of cooperation or lack of cooperation between the parties. However, investing time in one or more child support meetings before the Court hearing to determine child support is usually cost-effective.
Documentation and Candor Are Essential
When working with a Hackensack attorney on child support issues, it is essential to be straightforward with them about financial resources, parenting time, and the children’s needs. A legal professional needs this information to make the most effective arguments supporting the parent’s position.
Documentation to support income, expenses, and household budgets are critical. A legal representative would want to review W2s, tax returns going back at least three years, and documentation supporting any other sources of income. In addition, a parent should provide proof of expenses related to the children. There may also be instances where one or both parents are not making an effort to earn the highest possible income given the circumstances, and this is a factor that would need to be reviewed.
Providing false documentation or hiding income during child support negotiations is fraud on the Court. Candor is crucial. When intentional misrepresentations are discovered, the Court has broad authority to impose penalties that could include additional payments backdated to the initial child support payment, fines, and even jail time in some cases.
Work with a Hackensack Attorney to Negotiate Child Support at a Meeting
Child support negotiations often trigger strong emotions. It is essential to work with a lawyer who can represent your interests efficiently and effectively.
A family law attorney at Moskowitz Law Group can provide skilled representation. They will ensure you know what to expect at a Hackensack child support meeting. Reach out today to set up a consultation.
