The New Jersey child support guidelines apply before a child attends college, unless they reside at home and commute to college. In simple English, either you pay room and board to the University or you pay child support to the ex-spouse where your child resides.
Prior to Covid-19, the majority of college students attending college lived on campus, and the guideline child support award was modified, with a budget created for the child residing on campus. The vast majority of settled cases were structured in this fashion as that was our common life reality.
It now appears that many colleges and universities are offering an on-line option, which means many students who previously lived on campus will be staying at home. In these situations, it will be necessary to review the child support arrangements to determine if the support arrangement in the settlement agreement is appropriate or realistic for the student now residing with one of the parents and attending college on a virtual basis.
