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Understanding the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines

Rule 5:6A of the New Jersey Rules of Court contain the Child Support Guidelines which provide a formula to determine the appropriate amount of child support to be paid in most cases.

New Jersey has two different Child Support Guidelines Worksheets: the Sole Parenting Worksheet; and, the Shared Parenting Worksheet. Appendix IX of the New Jersey Rules of Court contain instructions on how to determine which Worksheet applies to your particular situation, as well as instructions on how to complete the appropriate Worksheet once determined.

The Shared Parenting Worksheet will be utilized in all situations where the non-custodial parent enjoys parenting time with the child/ren for 104 or more overnights per year. Conversely, the Sole Parenting Worksheet will be utilized in all situations where the non-custodial parent enjoys parenting time with the child/ren for less than 104 overnights per year.

After determining which Worksheet applies to your specific situation you will be required to input certain financial information to arrive at the appropriate child support figure for your case. That information includes, but is not limited to: each party’s net weekly income; the weekly cost of work related child care; the weekly cost of the children’s share of health insurance; and, in some cases the cost of recurring extraordinary expenses.

In high income cases (which are defined as cases where the parents’ combined net annual income exceeds $187,200.00) the weekly amount of child support will be supplemented with a discretionary amount based upon the remaining family income (in excess of $187,200.00) and the factors contained within the appropriate statute (N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23).

Contact Us in Monmouth County

The above is a generalized explanation of the use of the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines. In order to determine how the guidelines apply to your specific situation please contact the attorneys at Wernik & Salvatore.