Many of our readers in New Jersey probably know that when it comes to child support our family law courts have guidelines to follow in order to make determinations about the amount to be paid. However, there are a variety of factors that come into play when determining child support – and when deciding to deviate from those guidelines. Understanding the basics about child support in New Jersey can be helpful for anyone who finds themselves facing a legal dispute on this issue.
Child support basics
For starters, the concept of child support comes from a very basic premise: each parent is responsible for caring for the child and helping to contribute to the child’s basic needs. Those needs can vary but, in general, the most basic needs that must be met are: a safe place to live; enough food to eat; and proper clothing.
If child support is ordered, one parent will be the payor – the parent who must pay funds to the other parent; and the other parent will be the payee – the parent who receives the funds. The payor is also oftentimes referred to as the non-custodial parent, while the payee is referred to as the custodial parent. The custodial parent is the parent with whom the child lives for most of the time and is most responsible for taking care of the child’s day-to-day needs.
No two family situations are the same. However, when determining the amount of child support that must be paid, family law courts will review the following factors: the level of income for each parent; how many other children each of the parents have, if any; how much time each parent spends with the child; and the child’s known expenses, such as medical or education expenses. There may be other factors as well. If you are facing a child support issue in New Jersey, be sure to get the right information about how the law and facts apply in your unique situation.