Phone: If you are currently paying or receiving child support in New Jersey under a Judgment of Divorce or other child support order that does not specify an end date beyond your child’s 19th birthday, take note that effective February 1, 2017, your child will be automatically deemed to be emancipated at the age of 19 at which time child support will end. This is according to the law signed by Governor Christie on January 19, 2016.
This new child support law allows for child support to continue up to age 23, however, where:
- The child is still in high school;
- The child is attending full-time college, vocational or graduate school;
- The child is disabled; or
- The parties reached a separate agreement; or, if continued support was granted by the Court.
Therefore, if your Judgment of Divorce or child support order specifies a date beyond the child’s 19th birthday, child support will continue through that specified date. You may still, however, receive a Child Support Termination Notice from the Court and be asked to send in a copy of your Judgment of Divorce or child support order.
Also where your Judgment of Divorce or child support order specifies that child support will continue beyond the child’s 19th birthday through age 23 for instance, you will receive a Final Notice of Child Support Termination 90 days before the child’s 23rd birthday informing you that the child support will end.
The parent responsible for paying child support is still responsible for paying any back child support owed.
For additional information regarding the New Jersey child support termination process, please contact me at (973) 292-9090 or access www.njchildsupport.org for further updates to this process.
