For All of You Who Live in Indiana.....
Forums:
I just read an article this morning that the Dept of Child Services in Indiana announced the child support age just changed from -- get this -- 21 to 19!
I bet the family courts are going to be bombarded with modifications. According to the article, it is being interpreted as ANY CO, regardless of when it was put in place, can be modified if it states the NCP will pay until the child reaches the age of 21.
I wonder how this is going to fly.... because it is not common in the state of Indiana for a college support clause to be written in to the CO. So, are CP's going to wise up and say, "Find. Stop CS at 19, but I'm requesting that you get hammered with college tuition"??
We'll have to see how this all plays out.
I don't know. I kind of think
I don't know. I kind of think the whole "pay for college" thing is a load of bull. I mean, if a child's parents stay married, they aren't obligated to pay for any part of a young adult's education. Why do they have to pay if they are divorced? Why does it have to become a game of "rake each other over the coals"? What if one or both parents just doesn't believe in paying for a child's education? I don't. I'm not paying for my children or stepchildren to go to college. I will help them out. As long as they are enrolled in school full time they are allowed to live at home rent free, eat here for free, do their laundry for free, and I will help them out financially, but I'm not paying their way. If it's important to them to go to college, they will get scholarships and work their way through school. If it's not important enough for them to do that, then why should it be important to me?
I think CS past the age of 18
I think CS past the age of 18 is ridiculous IMHO, and I won't even TOUCH the college thing.
I've said many times before.... my children receive social security death benefits. According to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT they become adults at 18, therefore once they reach that age their social security STOPS. The only provisions made for them to attend college are those I have made on my own, by squirrelling away most of their social security benefits.
I know for a fact that neither parent (DH or BM) have made provisions for the SK's to go to college financially. That's going to be a scary scary time... I've already told my DH that their lack of planning is not going to be my financial emergency because I have TWO CHILDREN of my own to take care of.
Haha, I've seen a similar
Haha, I've seen a similar quote before: lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. So true. Have you started saving for your children? We've started a small monthly transfer into a CD for SD. We figure if she chooses another direction, say military or what have you, that she can still have the money later on for something important like buying a house. I just wish something like that would hold up in court to pay less in child support!! Haha, wishful thinking, right?
Yes. Both kids receive
Yes. Both kids receive social security death benefits (from their biofather) every month. I made a habit from the very beginning to "save" about 80-90% of their monthly benefit for college. Except for a few times when I needed extra money for them, like when they BOTH required braces at the same time.
My brother has tried to get me to look into a 529 (he's a financial planner). I like the idea of it, and it would give me a great tax break with as much as I would "deposit" every month. But there are a couple downsides to it also. I'm not sure exactly which way I want to go with it.
It says the changes were made
It says the changes were made to bring IN in line with most other states that only require CS until age 18/19. It was determined that 99% of kids have completed high school by age 19, so the support is paid until done.
It also states (from another atty) that this law is "not fair" in that it is over-riding a "contract between a mother and father", as he believes a CO is a binding contract. What??!!??
My DH is CO'd to pay CS until SK's are 21, but there is nothing in there about paying for college (meaning, he's not CO'd to pay for college). I'm going to sit and watch because I've said all along that BM would probably take him back to court as the SK's neared HS graduation so she could have the college tuition clause put in. Now, she "could" risk losing CS.
Although, even though my DH pays a LOT of money in CS it would still be cheaper for him (US) to pay it for 2 additional years (keep it at 21 instead of doing a mod to 19) compared to what it would cost for college until they were 22, or 23, or whatever age.
I totally agree with you. I
I totally agree with you. I had to chuckle at my DH because he thought once his kids turned 18, he'd just pay the CS directly to them instead of BM. HA! Get a clue.... I had to school him on the fact that that's NOT how it works.
I think back to when I was 17.... I was living on my own, going to college, working 3 jobs and totally self-supporting. Graduated from college at 20, and I was married at 21.
I think that's a good change.
I think that's a good change. I agree that paying past 18/19 by court order is ridiculous. Both of ours say child support basically ends after high school graduation. And I agree that college is another topic. I came from a lower middle class family. My family gave me a couple thousand towards college and the rest I did in scholarships, grants, and loans. I don't think it should be court ordered to pay for college, you should WANT to help your child, cause I would think this money goes directly for the child's schooling, but I don't know what orders look like when related to college. Our orders don't say anything for college, but we fully intend on helping my SD, but not paying the full tuition. Loans teach responsibility and BM can help out too.
You know, I was thinking that
You know, I was thinking that myself! I agree with that, just like I agree it has to somehow be a violation of civil liberties to MAKE someone "support" a child who, in the eyes of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, is an adult, can legally make adult choices, and can legally "pay" for bad adult choices. But that's just my opinion as an evil stepmother.