When does Child Support End

[fundad07]

What is the name of your state? ID

My child support order states, Respondent shall pay Petitioner, as for the care, support and maintenance of the parties' minor children, the sum of $XXX.XX, until X turns 18 years old, or if pursuing a college education, turns 19 years old, whichever occurs first. At which time, Respondent shall pay Petitioner $XXX.XX until X turns 18 years old, or if pursuing a college education, turns 19 years old, whichever occurs first.

Child support services in ID states that the child support order determines when the support ends and it can vary per child support order.

I am a little confused on the wording, since it states "whichever occurs first" does that mean my support ends for each child when they turn 18, since my children will turn 18 before and if they decide to pursue a college education? I normally thought it was when the child graduated from high school or turned 19 but my order is not stated exactly in that manner.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CJane]

My interpretation would be that support ends at 18 unless the child is enrolled in college at 18, and then it ends at 19.

 

[fundad07]

Thanks for the response. I am still confused on the, "whichever occurs first". The reason I am asking is that I have one child that is turning 18 soon. I pay the petitioner extra each month for the tax deduction and that ends when the child turns 18 and my intrepretation of the child support order is that it ends at the age of 18 also. Due to other children in the child support order the petitioner will still be receiving support and the support does not go down much when the oldest turns 18.

 

[CJane]

Thanks for the response. I am still confused on the, "whichever occurs first". The reason I am asking is that I have one child that is turning 18 soon. I pay the petitioner extra each month for the tax deduction and that ends when the child turns 18 and my intrepretation of the child support order is that it ends at the age of 18 also. Due to other children in the child support order the petitioner will still be receiving support and the support does not go down much when the oldest turns 18.

Well, 18 will occur first UNLESS the child is in college, and then 'pursuing a college education and turning 19' will occur first.

The reason it doesn't go down much is because CS isn't based entirely on number of children. One child is X amount, and each additional child is a % of that amount.

 

[fundad07]

When Does Child Support End

So in other words, if the child is attending college before they turn 18, then the child support will end at 19, otherwise it ends at 18.

I will support my children past the age of 18, I just wanted to know what my legal obligation are to the petitioner and the legal wording was a little confusing to me.