New Jersey Divorce Lawyers Blog
Child support in New Jersey is paid on a weekly basis by the non-custodial parent (the Parent of Alternate Residence – PAR) to the custodial parent (the Parent of Primary Residence – PPR). The amount of child support to be paid is calculated by using one of two worksheets which are contained in the Appendix to the New Jersey Court Rules.
The two worksheets are: The Shared Parenting Worksheet and the Sole Parenting Worksheet.
The Shared Parenting Worksheet is used to calculate child support when the non-custodial parent has two or more overnights per week, and the parent of alternate residence can demonstrate that the child has separate living accommodations maintained specifically for the child. The Sole Parenting Worksheet is used when the non-custodial parent has less than two overnights per week. An overnight is not what we commonly understand as an overnight (night into morning period). An overnight for child support purposes is “more than 12 hours” or the majority of a 24-hour day.
The amount of child support paid by the non-custodial parent is inversely proportional to the number of overnights that the non-custodial parent has with the child. Stated simply, the more overnights that the non-custodial parent has with the child, the less child support that they pay to the custodial parent. The fewer overnights that the no-custodial parent has with the child the more child support that they have to pay the custodial parent. Continue reading →