New Jersey Child Support: Paying For College


Key Takeaways
- Child support payments continue until the child is emancipated, including when they are attending college, but the exact amount of support payments can vary based on new circumstances.
- A New Jersey family law attorney can help you navigate the child support and college contributions when your child reaches college to protect your interests.
- Child support ends once the child is emancipated or turns 19. Child support can continue based on the college student’s educational needs like tuition, room and board, parking, etc. and can continue until the age of 23.
- Educational expenses are considered when court orders are entered for child support.
The court can take the educational needs of a child into account when a court order includes child support payments. Education expenses can quickly become expensive if the child attends a private school or goes to college. Knowing if you will need to continue support through college is important for a parent to consider.
Contact an experienced New Jersey child support attorney at Cordell & Cordell to see how we can help your case.
Can Child Support Continue Through College in New Jersey?
With regard to New Jersey child support, a parent has the duty to support their child until the court considers the child emancipated. This includes the child turning 19 years of age if they are not attending school full-time, getting married, or entering the military.
In New Jersey, a parent does have the duty to pay child support while the child of the marriage is enrolled on a full-time basis in college and potentially post-graduate education.
However, if you are paying child support for a child in college, the child must be enrolled on a full-time basis, and the child has to be shown to be making a good-faith effort in school. For example, if the child is not maintaining, at a minimum, at least C and above grades, you could potentially argue that the child is not making a good faith effort and, therefore, you should not be obligated to continue to support them throughout college. Having an estranged relationship with the child may also bolster this argument.
To ensure the child is enrolled in college, the parent paying child support has the option of filing a motion with the court requesting they be provided with grade reports and a class schedule to ensure the child is enrolled on a full-time basis and maintains an appropriate grade point average.
If your New Jersey child support order requires the non-paying spouse to provide this information, then a written demand should be made. If you do not receive a response, then you can file a motion with the court.
If your children are not enrolled in college on a full-time basis and they are finished with their schooling, you argue that they are emancipated and you no longer owe them a duty of child support.
Related Article: Does Child Support Cover College Expenses?
What Factors Does a Court Look at When Deciding Child Support and College Expenses?
When a child qualifies to have college expenses covered by child support, the amount is dependent on several factors, including:
- Tuition
- Room and board
- Application fees
- College preparation courses
- Additional fees
- Transportation and parking
- Textbooks
- Healthcare expenses
- General living expenses (food, clothes, etc.)
Child support payments are not based only on the child’s needs but the parents’ ability to pay. They are determined by your income and the number of children you have. Factors that determine whether college expenses will be covered include:
- Whether the parent would have contributed to the child’s college education if he or she was still living with the child.
- The amount the parents would have contributed to the child’s college education
- The ability of the parent to cover the cost of college
- The amount of support requested relative to the school and area of study
- The child’s commitment to his or her college education
- The availability of financial aid from grants and loans
- The relationship between the child and the paying parent
What is the Child Support Formula For New Jersey?
The child support formula in New Jersey is based on several factors, such as income, parenting time, and care costs. New Jersey has a child support calculator online that is free to use, though you will need some information ready in order for it to work.
On the child support guidelines, New Jersey uses “PPR” (Parent of Primary Residence) for the custodial parent and “PAR” (Parent of Alternate Residence) for the non-custodial parent to determine child support obligations.
To determine child support in New Jersey:
- Determine the net taxable income for both parents. Do not take the amount from a paystub, as child support guidelines include “allowable” deductions – some may or may not be on your paystub.
- Divide each parent’s net income by the combined net income of both parents.
- Input the base child support from the appendix on the child support guidelines into the worksheet.
- Compute the number of overnights with each parent.
- Divide the number of overnights for each parent by the combined number of overnights. If the number of overnights for the parent of alternative residence is less than 28 percent, complete the child support guidelines worksheet for sole custody; otherwise, continue.
- Compute the adjustment for other children, if applicable.
- Compute the self-support reserves and follow the instructions to determine the poverty level and which parent contributes financially to the other for the children’s support.
Additional Resources
- How to Avoid Divorce Settlement Roadblocks at Mediation: Mediation is an integral part of the divorce process, but it can cause friction. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to avoid those roadblocks and help streamline the process.
- New Jersey Child Custody Questions: Take a look at answers to some of the most common questions about child custody in New Jersey. These answers should help you better understand how it all works.
Why Work With Cordell & Cordell
Cordell & Cordell is a nationwide law firm with child support lawyers in New Jersey who have experience advocating for men in the family law system. We foster a communicative attorney-client relationship, and we take an aggressive approach to the legal system to protect your interests and that of your child. Take a look at what some of our previous clients had to say about our services.
Client Experience
”First and foremost, [my lawyer] was an exceptional person to have worked with me on my case. He not only explained everything regarding strategies and how to proceed in great detail, he let me choose the path I took under his guidance, and I was 100% satisfied with the outcome. He was available to address any concerns at any time they arose. There were times of great concern and difficulty along the way, but he always explained and made sense out of them, which was a very valuable thing to me. Aside from my case, his personality was also outstanding, made me feel like a friend, and my comfort level was great. When I say that everyone from the beginning to the end, from my initial reception, all the paralegals that worked on my case(which was also exceptional), right through to [my lawyer] delivering the news I had that my case was finally over, was done extremely well by everyone. I would like to thank them all for their dedicated and very professional work.” — James T.
“Lauren made sure I was treated well. She listened to me and advised when I needed to keep my emotions in check. I would always refer her as she was very good.” — Kyle R.
In Need of a New Jersey Child Support Lawyer? Call Cordell & Cordell.
Cordell & Cordell’s New Jersey child support lawyers are licensed to practice throughout the state and are available for consultations should you seek additional information or possible legal representation. Please call 1-866-DADS-LAW to schedule an appointment.
Disclaimer: This page serves as a resource and is not to be taken as legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Child support typically stops once the child reaches 19 years of age or becomes emancipated, but if the child is enrolled full-time in a secondary education such as college or vocational school, child support and college expenses may be awarded up to the age of 23. Keep in mind, however, that support for the child’s college expenses can vary depending on the child’s unique college needs.
Financial Aid for secondary education is considered in determining the parents’ obligation to contribute towards the child’s education expenses, including payment of child support.
The Court will review each scenario independently, whether the child is going to a private or a public college and determine child support and college contributions to be paid by both parents. If a cheaper and comparable college is available, they may take this into consideration in their determination.

Written by Joseph E. Cordell

Joseph E. Cordell is the Principal Partner at Cordell and Cordell, P.C., which he founded in 1990 with his wife, Yvonne. Over the past 25 years, the firm has grown to include more than 100 offices in 30 states, as well as internationally in the United Kingdom. Mr. Cordell is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Missouri and received his LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Joseph E. Cordell was named one of the Top 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri.
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