Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts
can or does child support continue after college graduation? why does it say free answers if its not free?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Hello,
Generally speaking, child support generally ends after a child is emancipated. If your child is no longer full-time enrolled in school is generally one of the factors that could cause your child to be emancipated. However, depending on the circumstances of your case, and what your last court order states with regards to child support your situation could be different. I would suggest you consult with an attorney if you are still paying child support and your child is no longer a full-time student.
I am confused by your second questions regarding free answers?
Thank you,
To determine when child support terminates you should first refer to the language of your divorce agreement or judgment.
To answer your first question, a child is generally considered to be emancipated upon graduation from an undergraduate educational institution. However, a child's special needs or age could also cause child support to be extended or terminated. Either way, the payor parent needs to go to Court and seek a modification, if appropriate. I hope that helps.
To address your second point, I think sometimes people get confused about the purpose of this website. Some questions simply do not lend themselves to a quick answer on a public forum. Most attorneys don't mind assisting people, but they cannot be expected to put together essays or instruction manuals for people who know they need a lawyer but simply do not want to hire one.
For example, if you were to ask a mechanic how often the oil should be changed on your car, you are likely to get a good answer. If you ask a mechanic to write you instructions so that you can change the oil on your car, you are not going to get a very helpful answer. In another example, a customer may want to go to WebMD to learn about their symptoms and to help them decide whether it is necessary to seek a doctor's care. You should not go to WebMD for step-by-step instructions on how to perform your own surgery. It is very difficult to put into words what a professional has spent years learning and practicing.
This website is a great starting off point, and should be used as such.