Child Support Lawyers

Child Support Attorneys

PROACTIVELY PROTECTING CLIENTS’ RIGHTS AND INTERESTS

mfr

Children are entitled by law to financial support from both parents. If you are like most parents who are divorcing, you want your children to continue having the same standard of living they have always known. You also want to be sure that the child support agreement is fair to you, whether you expect to pay or receive support.

Our New Jersey law firm helps parents navigate child support decisions in divorce, including in high-net-worth divorce cases. We also assist parents who were never married in resolving support issues.

Contact [MFR] Men’s & Fathers’ Rights Divorce Lawyers in Hackensack at (201) 880-9770 for your child support concerns.

Why Choose Our Child Support Lawyers?

Our attorneys have decades of combined experience helping families attain equitable solutions that ensure their children’s financial security.

• Firm founder Carrie S. Schultz holds special certification as a Matrimonial Law Attorney from the Supreme Court of New Jersey, which is a designation only a small percentage of lawyers in the state achieve.
• Our exclusive focus in family law allows us the bandwidth to remain current on all legal developments involving child support, divorce, and related issues.
• We take on a limited number of cases so that we can deliver personalized and responsive service to clients—in most cases you will hear from us within 24-48 hours.

When you choose MFR, you will receive honest and straightforward legal representation that is strategically tailored to get you the best possible outcome.

How Child Support Is Determined in New Jersey

Many fathers assume that they will have to pay child support. This assumption is incorrect. In general, the non-custodial parent pays support to the custodial parent, who is the parent the child lives with more often. Mothers or fathers can be deemed custodial or non-custodial parents depending on how child custody is determined.

In cases where residential custody is truly split 50/50, meaning children spend an almost equal number of overnights with each parent, the higher-earning parent may still pay support to the lower income parent.

Parents can reach mutual agreement about child support and payment amounts with the help of their attorneys and, potentially, assistance from a neutral mediator and then present the agreement to the court for approval. If parents cannot agree, the child support case will go to litigation for a New Jersey judge to decide.

HOW CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS ARE CALCULATED

The New Jersey Child Support Guidelines offer a starting framework for helping judges decide child support payment amounts. The guidelines use a mathematical formula to determine how much money is needed to raise a child in the state and, from there, to arrive at child support amounts.

Parents can get a rough idea of what they may collect or pay by visiting the New Jersey Child Support online calculator. However, do not rely solely on it, because if you input incorrect data, the amount can and will vary greatly. You may also exceed the threshold income amounts where the guidelines do not apply or require adjustment. Plus, the court has the authority to determine the final amount based on all the factors involved, including:

• The number of children
• How many overnights or 12-hour consecutive blocks of time children spend with each parent
• Each parent’s income, actual or imputed
• Childcare costs
• Health insurance premium costs for the children only
• Whether alimony is being paid and received.

Private school tuitions, college costs, extracurricular activities, and whether a child has special needs are also factored into support amounts.

How We Can Help You

You can see that child support determinations are complex. You probably have many questions and concerns about what is likely for your own situation. A Hackensack child support lawyer from our firm will explain what you may expect to happen based on your unique circumstances. Our lawyers will guide you throughout the child support determination process and advocate for the interests of you and your child and a fair decision for all parties.

Ideally, we can negotiate an agreement between you and the other parent, which allows you both to maintain control of the decision and potentially reach a more satisfactory outcome. If you are at an impasse and your support case must be decided by a judge, we will vigorously represent you before the court.

Hackensack Child Support Lawyer Answers FAQS

Following are answers to some of the common questions we receive.

How long does child support last?

In general, child support ends when the child reaches the age of 19 or is emancipated as defined by New Jersey law. However, if a child is still in high school or in college or vocational school full time, it can continue until a child is 23 years old or beyond that age if they are physically or mentally disabled.

Will I be automatically notified that support is ending?

If a child is turning 19, and only if support is paid through the court’s probation division, both parents will receive notice that support is ending. The notice will be sent 180 days before the support ends, and again at 90 days if the receiving parent does not respond. If a parent wishes support to continue, they must respond and request continuation. The paying parent then has the right to confirm the validity of the reason for requesting continuation.

How do I know that my support payments are being used for my child’s care?

There are court rules about how child support is supposed to be used, such as for housing, food, clothes, medical care, school, and some extracurricular activities. Nevertheless, receiving parents are not required to prove how they spend the money. If you believe the money you’re paying isn’t being used as it should be, one of our child support lawyers will investigate your suspicion and, if it is proven, may be able to help you have payments modified.

What can I do if the other parent wants more child support?

If the other parent wants more support, they will need to file a request for modification with the court proving that there has been a change in circumstances that makes more money necessary. If you disagree that more support is needed, our attorneys can help you defend the existing order.

For answers based on your specific situation, speak directly with one of our experienced child support attorneys.

Payment and Enforcement of Child Support

In some cases, child support payments can be automatically deducted from the payer’s wages by their employer. The payments are then sent by employers to the child support agency, which pays the custodial parent. Other payment arrangements may be made by court order and could include weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payments directly online or through the mail or at county child support offices. There are even child support payment locations at participating retail stores that accept cash payments.

CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO PAY

If paying parents get behind in paying or do not pay at all, they face tough consequences, including:

• Tax refund interception
• Seizure of stocks, bonds, and other assets
• Interception of lottery and casino winnings
• Passport denial if more than $2,500 is owed
• Suspension or revocation of driver’s license
• Suspension of professional, occupational, recreational, and sporting licenses
• Reporting of unpaid debt to credit-rating agencies if over $1,000 is owed
• Incarceration for up to six months.

If you are owed payment, our child support attorneys can assist you in pursuing past-due monies.

If you are behind in paying your support obligation, we can assess your circumstances and advise you about what to do. If your financial circumstances have changed significantly since your child support order was put in place, you may be able to negotiate a payment plan with the other parent or obtain a child support modification.

Take action right away if you are behind on child support payments. Do not ignore the situation, as it is only a matter of time before it catches up with you. If you receive notice that a child support enforcement hearing has been scheduled, be sure to attend. If you don’t attend, you may face severe consequences, including potential arrest.

Get Help from a Dedicated Hackensack Child Support Attorney

We know that as a parent, you want what is best for your children. You want them to maintain the same lifestyle they had before you and the other parent split up. Our child support lawyers in Hackensack want that, too. We also want to ensure that all parents are treated fairly in child support decisions in relation to their income and circumstances.

When you want to be sure your rights and the interests of your children are protected, turn to our knowledgeable New Jersey family law firm for help. Call us today at (201) 880-9770. We are here to help you navigate this complicated time in your life.

ATTORNEY BIO

Carrie S. Schultz, Esq.

Thank you for visiting our site. We realize that if you are reading this, you or someone you know is having marital or family difficulties. We truly understand how unsettling that can be for all involved. I personally want to invite you to explore the website which contains a lot of informational and educational items which I hope is of benefit to you. I also welcome you to contact us to schedule a case evaluation to discuss your matter in greater detail. Our firm philosophy is to always remain committed to providing our clients with the best service, care, guidance, communication, and legal advice possible for your particular situation. We take seriously you entrusting us with your legal matter. Happy researching!