When does child support end for him?

[classiemd69]

What is the name of your state? Maine
My husband and his first wife were divorced in 1989. In their divorce papers it states that he only has to pay child support until his daughter turns 18. That's it. Well, she will be 18 soon but he heard the childsupport laws in the state of Maine have changed and that he has to pay until she is 19 or graduates secondary school. We haven't been able to find anything that states that. My question is if this is true does it effect him or is his "grandfathered" where it clearly states in his divorce that he only has to pay until she is 18? Seems to me that he would go by the papers. I was under the understanding that new laws take place from that day forward and that anything that was done before that remains the same, ie he should only have to pay til she's 18. Please help us to straighten this out.

 

[nicetryadmin]

What is the name of your state? Maine
My husband and his first wife were divorced in 1989. In their divorce papers it states that he only has to pay child support until his daughter turns 18. That's it. Well, she will be 18 soon but he heard the childsupport laws in the state of Maine have changed and that he has to pay until she is 19 or graduates secondary school. We haven't been able to find anything that states that. My question is if this is true does it effect him or is his "grandfathered" where it clearly states in his divorce that he only has to pay until she is 18? Seems to me that he would go by the papers. I was under the understanding that new laws take place from that day forward and that anything that was done before that remains the same, ie he should only have to pay til she's 18. Please help us to straighten this out.

Title 19-A, Part 3 §2006. Support guidelines
"With regard to any initial or modified child support order that affects more than one child and that was entered before January 18, 2005, unless that order states the manner in which the order must be modified upon the events listed in subparagraphs (1) to (4), that the order be automatically modified pursuant to this paragraph to address any of the following events:
(1) Any child reaches 18 years of age and has graduated from secondary school;

(2) Any child reaches 19 years of age without having graduated from secondary school;

(3) Any child obtains an order of emancipation; or

(4) Any child dies."
See (1).

 

[classiemd69]

when does it end for him

So does this mean where he only has the one child with her that he only has to pay until she is 18? I am soooooooo confused.

 

[nicetryadmin]

So does this mean where he only has the one child with her that he only has to pay until she is 18? I am soooooooo confused.

If the child is in high school, then it's once the child graduates (even if the child is 18).

If the child is a dropout, then it would end at 19.

 

[classiemd69]

Thank you

Thank you very much for the help.

 

[Ohiogal]

If the child is in high school, then it's once the child graduates (even if the child is 18).

If the child is a dropout, then it would end at 19.

WRONG way of reading this.
It is an either or -- either graduation of high school or the age of 19.. whichever comes first.

 

[nicetryadmin]

WRONG way of reading this.
It is an either or -- either graduation of high school or the age of 19.. whichever comes first.

Hmm interesting because I read provision (1) as the child turning 18 AND graduating from high school and (2) as if the child failed/was held back or dropped out, then in that case, support would end at 19.

Uggh...if they would've just added "whichever comes first/last". Damn legislators!!

 

[ceara19]

WRONG way of reading this.
It is an either or -- either graduation of high school or the age of 19.. whichever comes first.

They really need to reword that so that NCP's don't get stuck with an extra year of payments if the kid does drop out. Here it reads "child support shall continue until the child turns 18 years of age, up to 19 years of age as long as the child is ENROLLED in secondary school".

 

[Ohiogal]

They really need to reword that so that NCP's don't get stuck with an extra year of payments if the kid does drop out. Here it reads "child support shall continue until the child turns 18 years of age, up to 19 years of age as long as the child is ENROLLED in secondary school".

I wholeheartedly agree. Sucks that NCPs would get stuck supporting a drop out for longer than they might get stuck supporting a kid who is graduating.

 

[classiemd69]

it's getting clearer now**************.

thank you for clearing that up...... they need to word things so us common people know what the heck things mean with out having to get out a law manual (which we will never understand either).