During divorce mediation, NJ residents may or may not realize that the ongoing cost of raising children typically far exceeds a child's eighteenth birthday. That marker is traditionally regarded as the end of childhood and the beginning of an adult life. In recognition of this, child support payments usually end on the child's eighteenth birthday.

This system, however, disregards the fact that on or around age 18, many children begin a new phase of their lives: a college education. This phase is likely to be more expensive than years one to 18 combined, particularly if the child attends a prestigious private college such as Harvard or Stanford.

Divorce Mediation NJ: A Skilled Mediation Attorney Essential

A highly skilled mediation attorney will protect the interests of the child and the less affluent spouse by realizing from the start that "child support" needs to encompass not only birth to age 18 but also those critical college years. Indeed, family courts in New Jersey are becoming more likely to add college tuition to the list of support payments for which a parent will be responsible. Couples divorcing using the faster and more economical mediation divorce method should follow suit and make sure that their children's future is secure. In this day and age, that includes a college education as a matter of course.

Find a Divorce Mediation Attorney in the National Mediation Directory.