Special Considerations for the Gap Year in Israel

Great Importance is Placed on the Gap Year in Israel in Jewish Communities after a Child Graduates from High School, But Who Pays for it in New Jersey?

This year is typically spent by the child taking courses in the seminary or Yeshiva. During this time, parents will send their child to Israel for at least a year in order to learn more about their religion. Sometimes the parents will decide to let the child remain in Israel for multiple years in order to enhance their knowledge of their religion, instead of the regular year-long duration.

Who Pays for College in a New Jersey Divorce?

In New Jersey, divorced parents of a child are required to pay for college out of their own pockets, as opposed to married parents who are able to help their child pay for college tuition and expenses through other means. This law is highly controversial, but it remains the law nonetheless.

Is Gap Year in Israel Considered a College Expense?

The gap year in Israel is not considered to be a college expense and divorced parents are not required to pay for their child’s gap year in Israel out of pocket. If the child goes to a Jewish high school, the high school will be heavily involved in the process and may help to explore some financing options with the child and parents. However, for divorced Jewish families, they are not expected, or required by law, to pay for their child’s gap year in Israel. Payment of the child’s gap year in Israel must be accomplished through a mutual agreement of the divorced parents, as opposed to the payment of child’s college tuition and expenses. Since the financing of the gap year in Israel must be done through mutual agreement, there can be serious issues that arise between the divorced parties. However, these issues can best be handled through the communication of experienced attorneys.

What Are the Payment Possibilities Between Parents?

If an agreement is mutually reached, the custodial parent is most likely to bear any expense for the gap year in Israel for their child. The court may decide to deny one parent’s expectation of unreasonably creating a financial burden on the other parent to bear the expense of something that is not required by law. However, mutual agreements can include percentages that each parent is responsible for depending upon their respective financial positions and responsibilities.

What Disagreements Can Arise in Gap Year Situations?

Typically, mutual agreements are not easy to come by in a divorce, especially when the agreements concern the children of the marriage. Most of the time, spouses will disagree on which school the child will attend during their gap year in Israel. Also, spouses may disagree on whether or not they are required to pay, or they will disagree with the concept in general even though the child was raised with the expectation of going to Israel. In any instance, the parent who opposes would be right, in New Jersey, because there is no legal obligation for the divorced parent to pay or agree to anything. This could be reason number one to get an experienced attorney to handle any negotiations and communications.

How Are Disputes over Gap Year Payments Addressed?

Divorce agreements, or mutual agreements arising out of a divorce, can include provisions that address the issues previously mentioned. There can be a percentage of costs assigned to each parent depending upon their financial position. For example, if a parent earns more money and typically provided for most of the expenses, they may be assigned 75% of the cost of gap year in Israel. Parents may also agree to the selection of the school in Israel, the living arrangements, the duration of gap year, etc. Your attorney may even be able to negotiate that certain decisions may be yours for the making if you are to bear more of the financial burden than the other party.

The get or the divorce agreement in Israeli law, is usually controlled by men. There is a severe gender disparity in Jewish law and if the matter were to be determined in an Israeli court, the female parent would be a disadvantage if there were no clear-cut directions on what to do in the exact situation you may find yourself in.

Contact Our Family Law Offices to Include Payment of the Gap Year in Israel in Your Marital Agreement in New Jersey

Having experienced attorneys in divorce matters regarding a child’s gap year in Israel is absolutely essential to ensure that your interests are properly represented in a family court. There is no obligation for either parent to do anything regarding a child’s gap year, so it’s all the more difficult to persuade the court to order a parent to do anything regarding their child’s gap year. In order to have the highest probability of success, you are smart to get in contact with a seasoned divorce lawyer. At Bronzino Law Firm, we know the complexities that can arise as children age, and the demands of their educational needs and lives present new issues to resolve among divorced parents. Our talented divorce lawyers can assist with revising, updating, and planning your agreement to cover all of your bases, including a gap year in Israel or another extracurricular activity that happens in your child’s growth and development.

We can assist you with matters large and small when it comes to child support, custody, and other family law issues in Sea Girt, Toms River, Holmdel, Stafford, Howell, Jackson, Middletown, or any town in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. Contact our firm at (732) 812-3102 to schedule an initial consultation free or fill out our online contact form, and we will get in touch with you.