When does child support obligations stop?

[robstar]

If my child just turned 18, but still lives with me and is a full time student in high school; completely dependent on me does my ex husband "child support" obligation/payment automatically stop without a court ordered modification?

[johnnybgood]

no, if child is attending school fulltime support continues, and even after high school

[goddessoflubboc]

When it ends depends on your state's law. Technically a parent who stops paying prior to a mod is in contemp but if child support were due to end and it's thru the IV-D agency the payments would sit on hold anyway. Once the mod is done then you'll know if there's a balance due.

[Lexus]

If your child is a full time high school student and attain majority, your ex-husband’s child support will not stop automatically. But it will automatically stop when the status of full time student stops.

[Friend In Court]

Everything will rest upon the laws of your state or the language of the order. Usually support stops at the age of majority -- or until the child graduates from high school.

[johnnybgood]

just a question if student quits fulltime school and is over 18,, and decides a year later to go back to school is parent liable to pay support again?

[sandyclaus]

Originally Posted by johnnybgood just a question if student quits fulltime school and is over 18,, and decides a year later to go back to school is parent liable to pay support again?

I would think not - especially not a year later.

My reasoning is that the only reason that child support would normally go beyond legal majority (usually age 18) is BECAUSE the child is attending school, or the child is disabled in some way and still requires financial support from the parents.

If an able-bodied child, BY CHOICE, quits school, then their time could and SHOULD be used to seek work to support themselves. A parent should not be forced to financially support that child once they have reached their majority just because the child chooses not to support themselves or otherwise put their time to more constructive use.

[johnnybgood]

I agree with you 100%! long gone are the days that a child takes pride in standing on their own two feet to make it in life, im not saying there is no young adults today that dont make an effort just that it is not as common this day and age,,,, back to the support part from my own experience,,, as I mentioned in previous posts, my last court day was April 12 just past,, the judge ruled that my 19 year old son is no longer entiltled to support because he has not been in school on a full-time basis,, missing 129 days out of 135,, and do you believe his mother provided these school records,, did she really think the judge was going to decide in her favor,,,, bottom line is and I represented myself in court and told the judge,,, if my son is not attending school then I expect him out looking for employment like I did when i was 18,,, 26years later I am still at the same job. and doing well