This week, our family lawyers talk about when child support payments end.
The Question: How do I go about ending the child support obligation as my kids’ age out? Is it automatic? Do I need to hire a lawyer to petition for termination?
How do I go about ending the child support obligation as my kids age out? Is it automatic? Do I need to hire a lawyer to petition for termination?
The Answer: It all depends on the age and number of kids you are paying support for.
How your child support obligation ends depends on the age and number of children you are paying to support.
Kids don’t age out at 18 automatically if they are still completing high school. Child support will automatically stop once they graduate or turn 19.
Also, if you have more than one child, you will need to petition to stop supporting the child who is aging out. If there is only one child on the order, it will end automatically.
Side note, if the support is in arrears, it must be paid up before ending. So, make sure you are current and up to date with your child support payments before petitioning to end the obligation.
You don’t need to hire a lawyer to terminate child support. Fill out the appropriate form and file it with the court. Having a lawyer help with your petition only benefits your situation. A lawyer knows what is needed to terminate the support, file the paperwork, and the intricacies of a support order dealing with more than one child.
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Our automatic disclaimer: We’re lawyers, but not necessarily your lawyer, and do not represent the individual who asked this question. We’re providing this information for general educational purposes based on the publicly available information provided by the anonymous Internet user. Any number of details may change how this individual’s attorney may pursue this legal situation, differently from how we suppose above. If you have a similar question, then you should consult with a lawyer about your specific situation to get a “real” response!