When parents are no longer together, they often have the legal obligation to make child custody and child support arrangements. There are many parents in Florida that have an obligation to pay child support if they are the noncustodial parent.
These payments can start when their children are young and can go on for many years. Noncustodial parents are often ordered to pay a substantial amount of money each month and they may be wondering when their child support obligation will be over.
There are certain conditions in which a noncustodial parent’s child support obligation will end. These include:
- In most cases, child support in Florida ends when the child turns 18.
- Child support can continue until the child finishes high school or turns 19.
- If the child is a special needs child, child support could continue indefinitely.
- Child support in Florida typically does not extend past the college-age years.
Child support payments do not automatically end. The person who is paying the child support must make a request to end the payments once the child reaches the correct age. A person who is looking to modify their child support order or end their order they may want to speak with a legal professional who is skilled in family law.
An attorney can help their client with their specific legal obligations. There are situations in which a child support obligation can be changed or updated. An attorney understands that a person may have financial difficulties, a job change, or another situation in which they need their child support payments updated. They can help this happen and make sure their client’s best interests are protected.