Adult child's obligation to support parent

I am in Maryland. I am interested to know of ANY STATE that has a law requiring an adult child to provide support to his/her parent.

My response:

Why ?

What's the situation ?

IAAL

Indiana has such a law, but I've never heard of anyone actually using it.

And it's only useful in limited circumstances....

I AM ALWAYS LIABLE said:

My response:

Why ?

What's the situation ?

IAAL

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The situation is that an elderly lady who lives alone in her home and is receiving some social services, but not enough to meet her needs. She could go into a nursing home, but wants to stay in her home. She wants her two adult sons to assist her with basic living expenses, but they refuse. Both sons live out of state.

MD does not have a law that requires support to a parent by an adult child. I was curious to know if any other states do and what those laws look like

dorenephilpot said:

Indiana has such a law, but I've never heard of anyone actually using it.

And it's only useful in limited circumstances....

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What are the circumstances in which it is used, if you know?

sounds to me to be more of a moral question than a legal one-the mom is asking for emotional support-not financial and i'll bet if she is placed in the nursing home the sons won't have to wait long before the "problem" dissappears

curtisd said:

sounds to me to be more of a moral question than a legal one-the mom is asking for emotional support-not financial and i'll bet if she is placed in the nursing home the sons won't have to wait long before the "problem" dissappears

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Actually, she does want financial support. She wants them to pay for a care provider so that she can stay at home. If she goes into a nursing home, the "problem" goes away because their mother will no longer need a caregiver at home. It does not change the original question from the mother's stand point which is, can she require her children to support her financially. In Maryland, the answer is no. I am wondering, for edification, if other states have such laws.

i believe either west virginia or virginia can require the children to pay for their parents "upkeep"

If MD does not have any law relating to this, and the mother is in MD, then knowing about other states laws is irrelevant. Also, since there is another option, ie to go into a nursing home, then no court would order the sons to pay anyway. Staying at her home is her *choice*.

NikiO said:

I am in Maryland. I am interested to know of ANY STATE that has a law requiring an adult child to provide support to his/her parent.

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i believe west virginia and virginia are states so thats why i mentioned them. why its relevant is up to Niki0

LegalBeagle said:

If MD does not have any law relating to this, and the mother is in MD, then knowing about other states laws is irrelevant. Also, since there is another option, ie to go into a nursing home, then no court would order the sons to pay anyway. Staying at her home is her *choice*.

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I understand that other states' laws cannot be applied to her situation here in Maryland. I work with a legal services organization and wanted to know, for the sake of having knowledge, whether or not other states had laws that required support. I don't think knowing about other states laws is irrelevant.