Parents who receive or pay child support may worry about the implications of a young adult turning 18 and graduating from high school. The newfound legal independence that comes with lawful adulthood can immediately end shared custody and parenting time orders. Teens may begin refusing to spend time with one of their parents, and an enforcement action against the other parent is likely not an option.
Additionally, teenagers who recently became adults may only be eligible for child support until their 19th birthdays in most cases. Despite the state treating 19 as the age of financial emancipation, young adults often rely on their parents for financial assistance well into their 20s.
Parents who know that their teens are college-bound can take steps before a child’s 19th birthday to ensure they have the financial support they need to pursue their academic ambitions without taking on a life-altering amount of student loan debt.
How college support works
Either parent can petition the courts to review a child’s educational plans and help with post-secondary educational expenses. The courts can agree to issue a Post-Secondary Educational Support Order that addresses college tuition, room and board expenses and other costs incurred by children enrolled in post-secondary education.
Parents can agree to a specific division of financial responsibility with one another, or the courts can impose a financial responsibility on both parents. Normally the child is responsible for a portion of the costs as well. A Post-Secondary Educational Support Order can help address the staggering costs generated by college enrollments.
However, it is important to note that post-secondary support is not the same as traditional child support for a minor child under Indiana law. The state’s ability to enforce an order related to college expenses is not comparable to the enforcement actions available for the support orders in place for minors.
Parents concerned about the implications of a child’s 18th birthday or impending high school graduation should discuss their legal options with an experienced child custody and support attorney. The right legal guidance can help parents do what is best for their children and minimize co-parenting conflict related to a child’s educational ambitions.
