Q: what is the legal age child support ends if child still enrolled in college full time. Can I receive back child support

A: Hello and thanks for asking your question. It is a little difficult for me to fully answer your question without a little more information, but I can give you some general advice. Since the new child support law went into effect earlier this year, child support ends when a child is 19 years old, unless there is an exception, such as being enrolled in an undergraduate college on a full time basis. If this is the case than child support will continue until that child is done with school, but, under no circumstances, will child support continue past the child turning 23. 23 is the absolute cut-off for child support in New Jersey.

With regard to your question about receiving back child support, are you talking about receiving child support arrears? Or, are you talking about getting retroactive child support for a time when there was no child support order in place? Of course, I do not want you to get too specific on this public forum, but it is hard for me to answer you specifically on this. I can say that child support is usually only paid retroactively back to the date when you filed a request for child support with the court. So, for example, if you did not file for child support until your child was 16, you cannot go back and get support from birth until age 16. If you are talking about getting paid child support that is past due, yes, you are entitled to that and payment will continue until that outstanding child support amount is paid off.

If you want more specific advice or have other questions, I suggest setting up a consult with a family law attorney. Our practice is state-wide, but many other family law attorneys also offer free consultations. Hoping this helped. Regards, Bari