Failure to pay for college

[apie1]

What is the name of your state? IL

The court ordered back in 2001 for my girlfriends father to pay her 45 percent of her college tuition. He is to pay 45% until she graduates or until she is married whichever comes first. To this day she has only recieved 450 dollars which were paid back in 2001. Since then she has not recieved anything else. She is now 10,000 dollars in debt in student loans and would like her father to start paying. Speaking to him has helped none. Whats the next step she should take?

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state? IL

The court ordered back in 2001 for my girlfriends father to pay her 45 percent of her college tuition. He is to pay 45% until she graduates or until she is married whichever comes first. To this day she has only recieved 450 dollars which were paid back in 2001. Since then she has not recieved anything else. She is now 10,000 dollars in debt in student loans and would like her father to start paying. Speaking to him has helped none. Whats the next step she should take?

Your gf is not a party to the court order, and can do nothing. Her mother can file contempt.

 

[Zigner]

Your gf is not a party to the court order, and can do nothing. Her mother can file contempt.

Along those lines...what contempt?
If the order reads that the father is to reimburse to the mother 45% of the costs, then he might be fine. The $10,000 in student loans is to the daughter, who is not a party.

 

[Silverplum]

Along those lines...what contempt?
If the order reads that the father is to reimburse to the mother 45% of the costs, then he might be fine. The $10,000 in student loans is to the daughter, who is not a party.

I can see your point as a possibility, though we have NO IDEA how the order is written.

And this is why I get irritated when a *friend* writes asking questions for a *friend* or a *sister* or whoever -- the poster NEVER has enough information about the FACTS.

Regardless, the non-paying dad IS in contempt, to SOMEONE. To whom? I dunno.

 

[apie1]

To stop everyone's confusion, her mother filed in 2001 for her so the father owes my girlfriend the money. The mother just paid for the lawyer. The court order stipulated that the father was to pay the daughter 45% of the tuition and expenses. Now that my girlfriend graduated she has to pay back the loans and she was woundering what she would need to do to get reimbursed by her father to help take some burden off.

 

[Silverplum]

To stop everyone's confusion, her mother filed in 2001 for her so the father owes my girlfriend the money. The mother just paid for the lawyer. The court order stipulated that the father was to pay the daughter 45% of the tuition and expenses. Now that my girlfriend graduated she has to pay back the loans and she was woundering what she would need to do to get reimbursed by her father to help take some burden off.

Go get the court order and come back and type, word for word, what the order reads about payment of college expenses.

 

[abstract99]

To stop everyone's confusion, her mother filed in 2001 for her so the father owes my girlfriend the money. The mother just paid for the lawyer. The court order stipulated that the father was to pay the daughter 45% of the tuition and expenses. Now that my girlfriend graduated she has to pay back the loans and she was woundering what she would need to do to get reimbursed by her father to help take some burden off.

That sounds iffy to me. A Judge would have to be nuts to order someone to pay a college student money becayse I know what most college students would spend it on. It also seems odd that the daughter was able to file to have this added when it seems that it was not in the divorce decree. Usually if it is not there, they will not add it later unless it is agreed upon. And if your GF graduated and only has 10k in loans she is lucky because that is cheap. Also, how much was mom ordered to provide? I doubt that it was nothing.

Has your GF sent dad copies of the bills or is this one of those instances where dad is supposed to read her mind?

or until she is married whichever comes first

And this, of course, would not prevent anyone from proposing to her.

 

[Silverplum]

That's why I asked OP to type the CO word-for-word. Then he left. Big surprise.

 

[nextwife]

What is the name of your state? IL

The court ordered back in 2001 for my girlfriends father to pay her 45 percent of her college tuition. He is to pay 45% until she graduates or until she is married whichever comes first.

WHOA! My heavens!

That language could require him to pay for her through as many degrees as she wants to keep going for! My sis got her last degree (another Masters) at age 40, and she was unmarried (of course she paid HER OWN WAY, and did not have mom or dad pay for her) - so a dad could actually have to pay for twenty years of post secondary education - if the language shown is ACTUALLY the verbage in the court order.

 

[Silverplum]

I know -- it's crazy! (That's why I want to see the CS order word-for-word.)

 

[ILOVEMYGSM3]

my father andi had same problem

he was soo far behind (nearly 45grand), and my mom and i went to court with him when i was 17, and she agreed to not collect anymore support, or arrears, as long as he helped with school...and there was no marriage stipulation(just age of 25)...they stopped his cs, but he paid arrears to the state for assistance she recieved when he wasnt paying. he has agreed in writing(to judges satisfaction) that he will assist ONLY with monies i cannot attain through financial aid...so i have 18 mos to get an 8 mo degree, and at 14grand for the course, i only got 8700 in assistance so he has to pay the difference...which is fantastic for him considering in 17 years he'd paid about a total of only $1000...and at $337/mo for 17 years, minus that grand, he took the education assistance, knowing he'd come out on top, and i'll get my education...

 

[ceara19]

WHOA! My heavens!

That language could require him to pay for her through as many degrees as she wants to keep going for! My sis got her last degree (another Masters) at age 40, and she was unmarried (of course she paid HER OWN WAY, and did not have mom or dad pay for her) - so a dad could actually have to pay for twenty years of post secondary education - if the language shown is ACTUALLY the verbage in the court order.

If the order reads

He is to pay 45% until she graduates or until she is married whichever comes first.

He would stop paying as soon as the child graduated. If she wants to continue her education beyond her FIRST degree, dad's not responsible. But it would be possible to be a full-time student for many, many years before graduating for the first time.

 

[GrowUp!]

So much of this doesn't sound right.

If the daughter took out student loans, she very well could be on her own paying that back. Plus, there is interest w/student loans and the interest rate will increase on July 1st. Also because the daughter obtained student loans, it very well *could* result in dad paying the percentage that the loans did NOT cover.

I also find the stipulation that Dad pays NOT the percentage, but the percentage with those stipulations ("until she graduates or she marries"). She could be on the 10-year plan. LOL

But since the OP has yet to come back here and write WORD FOR WORD what the order says....

 

[Ohiogal]

Dear, unless your order states that the parents are responsible for post secondary education then it's not covered. College support is specific in wording.

You beat me by two minutes. I must have started posting right when yours posted. Great minds you know.

 

[jpriness73]

Some CO are that vague though. My husband signed his dissolution which states:
In the event the children attend college after grduation from high school the father will pay 50% and the mother will pay 50%. This expense includes room and board, tuition, and book expenses.
With no end date his two kids could turn into career students and he would end up paying for years of college.