Separating financial responsibility is a challenge when spouses divorce. The process becomes even more complicated when there are children in the family. Parents generally have to share their parental rights and responsibilities. They divvy up parenting time and legal authority.
It is also common for one parent to have financial responsibility in the form of child support. A parent who earns far more than the other parent or who has less time with the children may have an obligation to provide monthly child support payments. Those payments can help cover necessary expenses for supporting children.
In many cases, child support ends when the child who requires support turns 19. However, parents often continue supporting their young adults as they pursue higher education after high school. Can the recipient parent expect their child support payments to continue through their children’s college education?
Support can continue through college
New Jersey has more child-friendly rules regarding child support than many other states. The courts can extend a support order through a child’s college years if they enroll full-time. The recipient parent typically needs to petition the courts and present documentation showing that the student intends to continue their education at an accredited institution.
Provided that the student remains enrolled, child support payments may continue until they reach their 23rd birthday. At that point, even if they remain enrolled full-time, the payments are likely to stop.
Child support falls short of covering all college costs
Parents often shoulder tens of thousands of dollars in annual expenses for their college students. Child support alone is unlikely to make a significant impact on those obligations.
It may be better for parents to address upcoming college costs and commit to an arrangement where they share the total expenses with one another. Private arrangements integrated into a divorce settlement can do more to help offset the expenses of a college education than basic child support payments.
Those concerned about ensuring that their children still have the support and opportunities they deserve may need assistance as they prepare for divorce, and that’s okay. Learning about New Jersey’s unique child support rules can be beneficial for those hoping to send their kids to college despite a pending divorce.