New Jersey Child Support Payments

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed November 28, 2018

Both parents must provide financially for their child regardless of the living situation or status of the parents. Generally, the way that this plays out is that a non-custodial parent pays child support to the custodial parent so that the child's needs are met. State law mandates that all child support payments are collected and processed by the New Jersey Family Support Payment Center (NJFSPC). Child support payments are deducted from the non-custodial parent's paycheck. This makes it easier for the non-custodial parent to fulfill their child support responsibility and to ensure that the custodial parent receives timely and regular payments.

Overview of New Jersey Child Support Payment Laws

When analyzing the meaning in any given statute, nothing can take the place of an attorney's skill, but a nonlawyer can gain knowledge with an explanation of the statutes written in plain English. The chart below provides some useful information on how to pay and collect child support in New Jersey, including a link to the relevant statute.

Statute(s)	New Jersey Statutes, Title 2A, Section 17-56.63
Income Withholding	Child support payments are automatically deducted from the non-custodial parent's paycheck per federal law. The employer deducts the child support amount and sends it to the NJSPC. The NJSPC then sends the payment to the custodial parent. Income withholding also applies to: Unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, Disability payments, and Any other income the parent receives. Self-Employment The child support order determines how the support will be paid if the non-custodial parent is self-employed.
Payment Options	If a non-custodial parent isn't paying child support through income withholding, they must make payments through other means. Timing of the Payments Depending on the order, the payments are made weekly, biweekly, or monthly in one of the following ways: Through the mail, In person, Online (make payments directly from your bank account to NJFSPC), Online (for non-custodial parents who aren't required to pay child support through income withholding to make credit/debit card payments).
Difficulty Making Payments	When a parent experiences a change in their life that can substantially impact their ability to pay child support, the child support order may be modified depending on the circumstances.

Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.