Can I seek a reduction in child support since I pay college room and board?
Asked on Mar 09th, 2015 on Child Support - New Jersey
More details to this question:
Child support was arranged for 2 high school children at the time of divorce according to standard NJ guidelines. Now my children are enrolled full-time in college and I pay half of their tuition, room and board. NJ guidelines don't seem to account for this scenario. Since I am effectively supporting them with room and board for the time they are at school, can I seek a reduction in child support payments to the custodial parent? How do I go about it?
I have seen your question.
My name is David Salvaggio. I have more than 35 years of legal experience and head a law firm that devotes its practice exclusively to New Jersey Divorce and Family Law matters.
Please feel free to take a look at our Firm Website (www.salvaggiolaw.com) for further information about my firm.
The answer to your question is: Yes, you can do that. The NJ Child Support Guidelines do not apply to children who are full-time college students and are living at college. However, the determination as to how much child support you should now be paying is NOT a mathematical calculation, and there are a lot of requirements to making a reduction application.
I would be happy to have a very brief telephone call with you, to get a few more facts. What you tell me remains confidential and there is no charge for the call.
Your question does not specify the town in which you live. My firm's offices are located in Morristown, NJ (Morris County). We handle cases in all of the counties in northern and central New Jersey, including not only Morris County but also Somerset, Hunterdon, Sussex, Warren, Passaic, Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
If you live in one of those counties and wish to schedule a brief, confidential telephone call with me, please call my office (973-455-1220) and speak to the firm’s Client Intake Coordinator Dara Vanderhoof. She will be able to arrange a mutually convenient date and time for the call.
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