If you have to pay child support, or you receive payments from your ex, you need to review various issues. Aside from addressing back support and looking into the modification of a child support order when necessary, some parents wonder how long these obligations will last. It is important to understand when child support payments come to an end.
When it comes to families and child support orders, everyone is in a unique position. Therefore, you need to look at your circumstances from an individualized standpoint.
Does child support end when a child reaches 18?
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, both parents must support their kids until the child reaches 18 if they are not emancipated. However, there are circumstances in which child support obligations extend beyond the age of 18. In some cases, children have emotional or physical hardships that necessitate child support payments after they reach 18.
Moreover, if a child reaches 18 but remains in high school, child support payments could continue.
How can a parent request to stop child support?
If your child reaches the age of 18 and they are not enrolled in high school, or if they become emancipated, you can file a petition to modify your child support order, asking for payments to stop. However, it is vital to make child support payments in full until the child support order ends.
Failing to pay child support can result in harsh consequences. If you have arrears due to unpaid child support, modifying your support order does not get rid of this debt.
