Hudson County Child Support Lawyer
The State of New Jersey mandates that each parent is financially responsible for supporting their children. In keeping with this, the court has the sole authority to determine the amount of financial support a parent must provide to each child based on their income and other situational and custody-related factors.
Child support is intended to financially support the overall wellbeing of a child or children. If you have questions concerning the calculation, enforcement, or modification of child support, you should speak to a Hudson County child support lawyer. A knowledgeable family attorney who understands how New Jersey courts address child support and similar matters could work tirelessly on your behalf represent your interests and protect your legal rights.
How to Calculate Child Support in Hudson County
Child support awards are typically determined based upon a few elements established in the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines. These guidelines establish the framework by which parents are expected to satisfy their financial obligations to their children.
Like the rest of New Jersey, Hudson County uses the Income Shares method to determine an appropriate amount of support for each parent to provide. This method considers how much total income each parent earns, then adjusts for other factors such as:
- Alimony payments
- Mortgage and other fixed payments
- Ages of children
- Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses
- Tuition for children
- Educational expenses to improve earning capacity
- Tax advantages of paying for a child’s health insurance
- Parties sharing equal parenting time
If there is a change in a child’s needs or in a parent’s financial situation after a support order is established, a change in the amount of child support owed by the paying party may be warranted. In such a situation, a Hudson County child support attorney could work with a payor or payee to amend the existing child support order by either agreement or court order.
Child Support Enforcement and Emancipation
Pursuant to New Jersey Revised Statutes §2A:17-56.8, family courts enforce child support orders and payments in Hudson County. If a parent does not meet their financial obligations or falls behind on payments, the courts could suspend their driver’s license, deny or revoke passports, and/or seize certain financial assets. In particularly extreme cases, they could even face imprisonment.
As per NJ Rev. Stat. §2A:17-56.67, child support automatically ends on a child’s 19th birthday, unless the custodial parent files for an extension before then. This is a change from the previous law, under which child support payments did not end automatically unless an age of emancipation was specified in a court order. It is best to speak to a committed child support lawyer in Hudson County to learn more about how child emancipation could affect a particular parent’s financial obligations.
Call a Hudson County Child Support Attorney
If you have questions about or would like professional help negotiating an enforceable and mutually beneficial child support agreement, a Hudson County child support lawyer would be happy to help. Having an experienced attorney at your side could help protect your rights and ensure your child lives a financially stable life. Call today to schedule a consultation.
