When parents divorce or break up, they have to split up their parental rights and responsibilities. They either reach an agreement through negotiations or ask a family law judge to apply New Jersey state statutes to their circumstances. Each parent typically receives a certain percentage of overnight parenting time and a degree of decision-making authority. The courts can also award one parent child support to balance out discrepancies between the two parental households.
Factors including the standard of living during the marriage and the earning potential of each parent can influence how much support the court orders. The parent receiving support can use those funds to help cover basic child-rearing expenses, including housing, groceries and medical care. Educational costs may also be a concern. Can child support continue through the college years to help cover the costs of a degree or necessary vocational training?
New Jersey allows for extended child support
It is common practice for child support to end when a child becomes a legal adult or graduates from high school. However, some states allow parents to extend child support orders beyond high school graduation or legal adulthood.
In New Jersey, child support can continue until the recipient child turns 23. For the courts to agree to extend the order, the child receiving support typically needs to be enrolled full-time at an institution of higher education or pursuing vocational training.
Of course, the child support orders granted by the court often result in an amount far below the cost of college tuition and secondary expenses. Parents can potentially reach agreements on their own to divide college expenses in a specific manner. Parents can agree to evenly split expenses or for each parent to pay a certain portion of the costs each semester. Such arrangements can often go further toward properly covering the cost of tuition, textbooks and other costs than basic child support.
Understanding the rules that govern child support in New Jersey can help parents as they negotiate with one another or prepare for family court. College-bound teenagers often require financial support for longer than those who enter the workforce after finishing high school. Parents can often work together to help give their children the best educational opportunities despite their divorce.
