Note that answers given in this section cannot take the place of independent legal or financial advice. Please read our disclaimer.

"My ex-wife has recently married a very wealthy man. Can I now stop making child support payments?"   

The answer is "no." A person may not stop paying child support (or alimony) unless there is consent or the court enters and order allowing him/her to do so. Child support is generally determined based upon y the amount of money each biological or adoptive parent earns or is capable of earning, the number and age of the children, the amount of time that the children spend with each the parent with whom the children spend less time than they do with the other parent, the cost of health insurance coverage for the children, and other factors that differ somewhat from state to state. However, in New Jersey never is a step-parent's income is not considered in determining the amount of child support one parent pays to the other.

Gary Borger, family lawyer and mediator, is a partner in the firm of Borger Jones Matez & Keeley-Cain, P.A. located in Cherry Hill, NJ. He can be reached at: GBorger@NJFamilyLaw.net or (856) 424-3444. View his Divorce Magazine profile.