When does support obligation end? 25 Answers as of August 31, 2011

Child support ends when the child turns 18 AND is out of high school OR turns age 19.

Most support orders end when the child turns 18, when the child emancipates, or when the child turns 20 if they were enrolled in school full time at the age of 18. To know when your obligation ends, you need to refer to your support order.

What does your support order say? Most likely, you still have to pay support.

Check your Child Support Orders. They should read that your support ends when she is 18 and graduate high school unless she is sooner emancipated by law. The Family Code provides: Sec. 154.006. TERMINATION OF DUTY OF SUPPORT. (a) Unless otherwise agreed in writing or expressly provided in the order or as provided by Subsection (b), the child support order terminates on: (1) the marriage of the child; (2) the removal of the childs disabilities for general purposes; (3) the death of the child; (4) a finding by a court that the child: (A) is 18 years of age or older; and (B) has failed to comply with the enrollment or attendance requirements described by Section 154.002(a); or (5) if the child enlists in the armed forces of the United States, the date on which the child begins active service as defined by 10 U.S.C. Section 101. (b) Unless a nonparent or agency has been appointed conservator of the child under Chapter 153, the order for current child support, and any provision relating to conservatorship, possession, or access terminates on the marriage or remarriage of the obligor and obligee to each other. As you can see, getting married is an emancipating event and so is joining the military. However the code is silent on giving birth to a child. Perhaps this is just an antiquated rule, or the legislature did not intend to make a distinction. I have seen no case law on this point, so you could argue it is an emancipating event, but you may have to convince a judge.

Your support obligation ends after your daughter turns eighteen years old and is not a full-time student, marries, is emancipated, or turns nineteen. Whethershe is collecting money or food stamps from the government however, could change things, as it would mean she is essentially emancipated. You also did not say whether she still lived with her mother. Either situationcouldallow you to file an Order to Show Cause (OSC) to modify/terminate child support payments. If she just dropped out of high school and is already eighteen would also be an appropriate situation to file to terminate support. You can assist her financially directly, if you want. The simple fact of herhaving the children, if still living at home, eighteen years of age or younger, and attending high school, would not terminate your support obligation.

You need to have her declared emancipated and then you will not have other obligation.

In 48 states she is an adult at 18. However support ends when your court order says it does.

The support obligation ends with the permission of the court. Typically you were ordered to support your daughter until she was 18 and had graduated high school. Check your divorce decree or your original support order. You still have to go back to court to be relieved of the obligation. And you have to serve that upon the child support enforcement agency in Ohio or the Friend of the Court in Michigan. Please check with a domestic relations attorney to make sure the task is done right.

Look at your child support order for when the obligation to pay child support ends.

Support ends at the later of the following events: a) child turns 18, or b) child finishes high school or its equivalent (so long as within one year of 18th birthday). Your child may be an adult, but it sounds like she needs your help more than ever.