27. April 2009 by amills.

QUESTION:  My daughter is 19 and going to college out of state. Do I have to keep paying child support to her mother or can I pay it directly to my daughter?

ANSWER:  It is possible to pay child support directly to a child under limited circumstances. The circumstances you describe would likely qualify.  In order to pay child support directly to the child, the Court who issued the original divorce decree must consent to the arrangement.  As a practical matter, if your spouse agrees the support can be paid directly to the college student, then the parties can enter a stipulation with the Court.  If your spouse will not agree to such an arrangement, then the party paying child support must file a Motion with the Court

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7. December 2007 by amills.

When a non-custodial parent is ordered to pay child support, that obligation does end, eventually. In general, the obligation to pay child support will end when the child: 1) dies, 2) marries, 3) enters active military duty, 4) becomes self –sufficient, or 5) reaches the age of 18 and does not continue his/her education full-time. In any event, the obligation to pay child support ends at age 21.

With regard to education, a parent’s obligation to pay child support continues so long as the child is enrolled full time in a post-secondary educational program. The child must be enrolled at least 12 hours per semester, and must be able to provide proof of the enrollment. A post-secondary program includes college as well as technical or vocational school. If the child takes off even one semester, the obligation to pay child-support ends, permanently.

The Missouri legislature recently changed the law to say the obligation to pay child support ends when the child reaches 21, regardless of their status in school.

A person should always consult with an attorney, before terminating child support on his or her own, to ensure some special circumstance does not apply.

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