South Jersey Child Support Attorneys - Musulin Law Firm, LLC - Call 609.267.0070
Since 1986, the New Jersey court system has required the use of guidelines for child support. Prior to that time, judges had broad discretion in awarding child support and there was so much discretion and room for debate, the issue was never easily resolved.
Today, New Jersey child support guidelines are income-driven. There is a worksheet prepared which includes three columns. The incomes of both parties are entered at the top of the worksheet, any alimony is then exchanged, mandatory union dues, retirement contributions, and taxes are subtracted. The two net incomes are added in the third column to create a fictionalized family income as if the two parties were still together. The supreme court then uses a chart that lists the net incomes and the corresponding support figure for a family with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 children.
Your share of the total child-support amount will be in proportion to your share of total factual family income. For example, if your income is 30 percent of the fictionalized family income and your spouse's income is 70 percent, you would pay 30 percent of the recommended child support amount from the chart and your spouse will pay 70 percent. If the total child support is $100 from the chart, you would pay $30 and your spouse would pay $70. That percentage remains constant for non-reimbursed medical expenses, braces, college expenses, and all other expenses of raising your children.
If you can no longer make your child support payments because of a job loss, or if you think the child support you are receiving is not sufficient, our lawyers can help you file for a modification, to either lower or raise your monthly support payments.
To schedule a consultation, contact New Jersey child support lawyer Christopher Musulin at his family law practice at the firm Musulin Law Firm, LLC. With an office in Mount Holly, we serve clients throughout South Jersey and nationally whose cases are venued in any of the South Jersey counties.
