Actually, both the age of majority/emancipation and the requirement for a non-custodial parent to help pay for college varies by state.
The following states have laws or case law that give courts the authority to order a noncustodial parent to pay for some form of college expenses: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Washington.
Even in states where states don't require it, sometimes the parents will reach a voluntary agreement, which should be put in writing and approved by the court so it can be entered into the record and enforced.
If it was specified in the original order for support, you may contact your state's child support enforcement office if the child's father is not paying. If it was NOT included in the original child support order, you will need to request a modification of the support order in the state where the original order was issued. A family law attorney can help you determine if it makes sense to do this, and can also help with this petition.
Courts consider many factors in determining what contribution the noncustodial parent should make to college costs, including: Whether the parents would have contributed toward the costs of college if the parents were still living together, the level of post-high school education of both the parents, whether the parents would have expected the child to go to college if they were still living together, the financial resources of the child and both parents, the child's specific interests and academic achievements/goals, the ability of the child to earn income while in school, the availability of financial aid in the form of scholarships and loans, the relationship between the child and the noncustodial parent.
The following states have laws or case law that give courts the authority to order a noncustodial parent to pay for some form of college expenses: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Washington.
Even in states where states don't require it, sometimes the parents will reach a voluntary agreement, which should be put in writing and approved by the court so it can be entered into the record and enforced.
If it was specified in the original order for support, you may contact your state's child support enforcement office if the child's father is not paying. If it was NOT included in the original child support order, you will need to request a modification of the support order in the state where the original order was issued. A family law attorney can help you determine if it makes sense to do this, and can also help with this petition.
Courts consider many factors in determining what contribution the noncustodial parent should make to college costs, including: Whether the parents would have contributed toward the costs of college if the parents were still living together, the level of post-high school education of both the parents, whether the parents would have expected the child to go to college if they were still living together, the financial resources of the child and both parents, the child's specific interests and academic achievements/goals, the ability of the child to earn income while in school, the availability of financial aid in the form of scholarships and loans, the relationship between the child and the noncustodial parent.
