When New Jersey parents separate, helping their children through the transition is often first on their list of priorities. Custody arrangements are only part of how this is done. Child support is also essential in order to ensure that the children are provided with the financial resources needed in order to help them thrive after a divorce or separation.
Any agreement regarding child support will need to conform to the guidelines set forth in New Jersey law. Many people are under the impression that they have to go to court to have the amount set, but it can also be determined during negotiations between the parties. Most agreements are upheld by the court so long as their provisions do not violate public policy or current law, which means that even child support can be negotiated between the parties.
If a couple wants to include child support as part of their custody agreement, an attorney will be needed in order to ensure that any amount the parties agree to complies with the law. The main factors that help determine the amount of child support include parenting time, the gross income of each party and any extraordinary expenses the children might have, which will include any educational and/or medical needs of the children. Since every family is unique other factors might need to be included as well, and since the parties are negotiating their own agreement, it might be possible to consider them when calculating the amount of this support obligation.
Since the amount of child support is often contingent on parenting time, negotiating custody arrangements is often done first. When it is negotiated between you and the other parent, a parenting plan can be tailored to the needs of the whole family in order to ensure that your children have as much access to each parent as possible. Thereafter, the financial support of the children can be determined and included in the agreement.