College Payment

[indy.2011]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

My 18 year old daughter and I have had an on again off again relationship. She lives about 2 hours away. Part of the issue has been me over the years, over the past 3-5 years though it is her. I have attempted to call her, text her, and get her to come down and see me. Her mother has not helped the relationship at all.

I called them earlier this year about college and recommended that I get involved in the FAFSA filing and that they should even get with my daugther to help them through it, because she has done hers, plus my other daughter, plus helped others. In otherwords she is really good at it! They never called me back and never contacted my daugther. They bascially screwed it all up and are not getting anything. Now they expect me to pay a 3rd of her college, however that is all they want is the money. There is nothing in my decree that says anything about college. I still pay child support each month and as with my other two daughters she could have had a lot of college paid for through FAFSA.

Am I legally obligated to pay a 3rd of her college?

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

If the two parents are NOT living together, they will look at the income of the residential parent and their spouse - it does NOT look at the NCP.

If the court order does NOT address college expenses, then you are not obligated to pay anything.

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

My 18 year old daughter and I have had an on again off again relationship. She lives about 2 hours away. Part of the issue has been me over the years, over the past 3-5 years though it is her. I have attempted to call her, text her, and get her to come down and see me. Her mother has not helped the relationship at all.

I called them earlier this year about college and recommended that I get involved in the FAFSA filing and that they should even get with my daugther to help them through it, because she has done hers, plus my other daughter, plus helped others. In otherwords she is really good at it! They never called me back and never contacted my daugther. They bascially screwed it all up and are not getting anything. Now they expect me to pay a 3rd of her college, however that is all they want is the money. There is nothing in my decree that says anything about college. I still pay child support each month and as with my other two daughters she could have had a lot of college paid for through FAFSA.

Am I legally obligated to pay a 3rd of her college?

Unless it is already in the court order, you are not required to pay anything over and above what is ordered.

You might suggest to your daughter that she get student loans to pay for her own secondary education. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an adult paying for their own education.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

My 18 year old daughter and I have had an on again off again relationship. She lives about 2 hours away. Part of the issue has been me over the years, over the past 3-5 years though it is her. I have attempted to call her, text her, and get her to come down and see me. Her mother has not helped the relationship at all.

I called them earlier this year about college and recommended that I get involved in the FAFSA filing and that they should even get with my daugther to help them through it, because she has done hers, plus my other daughter, plus helped others. In otherwords she is really good at it! They never called me back and never contacted my daugther. They bascially screwed it all up and are not getting anything. Now they expect me to pay a 3rd of her college, however that is all they want is the money. There is nothing in my decree that says anything about college. I still pay child support each month and as with my other two daughters she could have had a lot of college paid for through FAFSA.

Am I legally obligated to pay a 3rd of her college?

You do have to keep paying child support while she is in college. The 1/3 mom, 1/3 dad and 1/3 child is what Indiana courts normally order IF they order the non-custodial parent to share in college costs.

However, if your order doesn't require you to share in college costs, you do not have to until or unless a judge orders that you do.

Also, there is no such thing as being really "good at" filing out a FSFA form. It is very factual and there is no room for being "good at it". I hope that your daughter isn't helping herself and friends at falsifying FSFA forms.

 

[indy.2011]

You do have to keep paying child support while she is in college. The 1/3 mom, 1/3 dad and 1/3 child is what Indiana courts normally order IF they order the non-custodial parent to share in college costs.

However, if your order doesn't require you to share in college costs, you do not have to until or unless a judge orders that you do.

Also, there is no such thing as being really "good at" filing out a FSFA form. It is very factual and there is no room for being "good at it". I hope that your daughter isn't helping herself and friends at falsifying FSFA forms.

Not at all and that is not what I meant. She is really good at filing them because she checks everything and ensures they are complete. FAFSA is a pain in the butt. The first year I filled it out, I screwed it up and she got a very minimual amount. Since then she has been doing it, and helping others get it filled out, etc... All of it is on the up and and up! And the only reason the youngest is not getting any is because she and her mother messed it up and did not fix it in time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[stealth2]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

My 18 year old daughter and I have had an on again off again relationship. She lives about 2 hours away. Part of the issue has been me over the years, over the past 3-5 years though it is her. I have attempted to call her, text her, and get her to come down and see me.

How many years? And why is it up to your child to pick up the slack you dropped?

Her mother has not helped the relationship at all.

You know this... how?

 

[indy.2011]

@stealth2, Not that I have to justify myself to you but I am not asking my daughter to pick up the slack. I blame myself for our relationship or lack there of. I have attempted to make amends for the time I missed with her. At first it seemed she wanted, about 8-10 years ago but about 5 years ago it diminished and in the last 3 became almost nothing. I put it as a teen getting older and not wanting to leave what she knows, friends and her boyfriend.

It is pretty easy to recognize when someone is not helping a situation. Just takes a little common sense.

You seem to be pretty judgemental. Why?

 

[stealth2]

@stealth2, Not that I have to justify myself to you but I am not asking my daughter to pick up the slack. I blame myself for our relationship or lack there of. I have attempted to make amends for the time I missed with her. At first it seemed she wanted, about 8-10 years ago but about 5 years ago it diminished and in the last 3 became almost nothing. I put it as a teen getting older and not wanting to leave what she knows, friends and her boyfriend.

It is pretty easy to recognize when someone is not helping a situation. Just takes a little common sense.

You seem to be pretty judgemental. Why?

Not at all... But I have to wonder how long you were estranged from her and why. What you have done to rebuild the relationship? Have you gone to her community? Invited her to bring a friend or her along? Etc, etc, etc.