Child support is one way for a parent to fulfill their parental responsibilities. They provide regular financial support for the other parent to meet the children’s needs. When the courts determine the amount of child support to order, various details about family circumstances dictate the outcome.
For example, the overall division of parenting time is a critical factor. The courts also look at what each parent earns and the financial requirements of meeting a child’s needs. In some cases, those ordered to pay support might hope to reduce what they pay or eliminate their obligations. Some people might go so far as to quit their jobs to sidestep child support obligations.
Can leaving a job justify a child support modification?
Even unemployed parents have obligations
The sudden loss of a job does not eliminate the parental responsibility to provide financial support. Particularly when a parent leaves a job voluntarily, the courts may decline to adjust the existing child support order.
The process of calculating support obligations looks at income, but the courts also consider earning potential. Even in cases where a parent loses their job through no fault of their own, the most the courts may do to accommodate them is generally to reduce the amount of support ordered until they increase their income.
Becoming unemployed does not result in an end to child support obligations. If one parent believes that the other voluntarily left their job or became underemployed, they could present information about their concerns to the courts.
Learning about the rules that govern New Jersey child support can help parents recognize when they might be eligible for modifications or hold co-parents accountable for refusing to fulfill their responsibilities.
