The new law was needed because people were confused about when child support ended. Previously, you needed to file paperwork with the court to formally close this obligation and if a parent did not do this, the obligation continued. Well, sometimes a child clearly should have been considered emancipated but was still on the books as unemancipated because no paperwork was ever filed, and the parent still on the hook for child support payments. This new law clarifies that there is now a standard age for emancipation in New Jersey and no need to file additional paperwork.
A couple can decide to continue to financially support their children beyond age 19, if they continue with college or have a disability, but this again will automatically end at age 23 without having to file additional paperwork. At Westfield Mediation, we help couples navigate the issue of child support and emancipation. It is written into every parenting agreement. Parents need to address these issues during the divorce process so each will know what to expect legally and financially from each other when planning their children’s future.
For more information about divorce mediation contact Randi M. Albert, JD, or Michelle Weinberg, LMFT, at Westfield Mediation, LLC, at 908.913.0373. View our website at www.westfieldnjmediation.com or email us at info@westfieldnjmediation.com.