Support

Obligations of support fall into several categories. One has an obligation to support his/her children and may have an  obligation to support his/her spouse or domestic partner during the marriage. There may also be an obligation to pay support after the dissolution of a marriage to one’s ex. This is called alimony.

Child Support

It is the responsibility of each parent – both mother and father – to make sure their child has enough food to eat, clothes to wear and a safe place to live. Still, some children do not get the support they need. Regardless of their living situation or relationship, both parents should provide the financial, medical and emotional support a child needs to grow into a responsible adult.

There are two parents in every child support case. One is the custodial parent (or the payee) – the one who lives with the child and has the primary day-to-day responsibility. And the other is the non-custodial parent (or the payor) – who also has important responsibilities.

Co-parenting is vital to maintaining a healthy relationship with your child. Although one person may have the day-to-day duties, taking shared responsibility is a key element in the support and success of children. There  are circumstances that give rise to either an upward or downward deviation from the Child Support Guidelines. When this occurs, we can help. Schedule your strictly confidential free consultation today at either one of our two offices, call (856) 881-9600  for our Glassboro Office or (609) 886-5700 for our Cape May  Office.                 

Spousal Support

Spousal support is intended to ensure that no individual suffers a significant decrease in their standard of living during the pendency of a divorce or after a divorce is finalized. Alimony will be awarded according to the needs and income of each spouse, particularly if one spouse’s age or health hinders their ability to earn a living. There may be a significant disparity in earnings between spouses. One spouse may have only worked inside the home while the other worked outside and earned the money. Unfortunately, in many cases, after divorce, the standard of living for both parties declines. During a marriage, both parties are devoting their resources to a single household. After a divorce, the same two parties now face the financial burdens of two households rather than one. Therefore, it is not uncommon for neither party to enjoy the standand of living they enjoyed during the marriage. The process is complicated and requires competent legal advice. You can count on us for help. Schedule your strictly confidential free consultation today at either one of our two offices, call (856) 881-9600  for our Glassboro Office or (609) 886-5700 for our Cape May Office.                 

Alimony

In many cases, one spouse may not be able to support him/herself after the end of the marriage. To remedy this, the court may award alimony. The types of alimony in New Jersey include:

• Durational alimony: Spousal support that can be terminated or modified upon any qualifying change of circumstances
• Limited duration alimony: Spousal support that ends after a specified period.
• Rehabilitative alimony: Short-term spousal support that helps one spouse become financially self-sufficient
• Reimbursement alimony: Repayment to the spouse who helped to pay for the other spouse’s education during the marriage
• Pendente lite alimony: Temporary spousal support that is issued only during the divorce process.

It should be noted that open durational alimony or spousal support in New Jersey is typically awarded in long-term marriages, marriages that lasted 15 years or more. Schedule your strictly confidential free consultation today at either one of our two offices, call (856) 881-9600  for our Glassboro Office or (609) 886-5700 for our Cape May Office.