When Do Child Support Payments Continue Past 18?

Key Takeaways:

• In most cases in Washington, child support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later.
• If a child is mentally or physically incapable of caring for themselves after high school, support payments may continue.
• The most common situation where it continues is in postsecondary education.
• This includes community colleges, four-year universities, professional training, technical instruction, and vocational training.

In most cases in Washington, child support ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. A number of circumstances do exist, however, where payments continue longer.

Age Of Majority And Child Support

In the Evergreen State, the age of majority is 18. This generally means that when your kids hit this milestone, they legally become adults and the government no longer considers them dependents.

They can vote, join the military, and all indulge in most of the things that, legally speaking, make them adults. In specific situations, they even retain their dependent status.

The most common of these instances involves high school, postsecondary education, or a child with special needs.

Support Payments During High School

Probably the most common situation in which support payments extend past 18 is when the child is still in high school. For example, if your child turns 18 in February, they likely won’t graduate until the end of the school year, usually in June.

As we said, in Washington, parents pay child support until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later. That “or” does a lot of work. The system intends to provide support as long as your child remains in school.

Related Reading: How to Calculate Child Support

Special Needs And Continuing Support

Another situation where support continues past 18 involves cases of a child with special needs. Under these circumstances, the court often orders payments for a longer period.

The most commonly occurs when a child is mentally or physically incapable of caring for themselves. Thus, they require lasting parental care.

It varies, but in cases of permanent disability, the court often even orders payments to continue indefinitely. Or until the state no longer considers the child disabled, if they ever reach that point.

In cases of a known disability, a child support order should address this matter ahead of time. It shouldn’t come out of nowhere and blindside anyone.

Postsecondary Educational Support

Probably the most common situation in which Washington orders child support to continue is postsecondary education.

This covers an array of educational options, including community colleges and four-year universities.  Professional training, technical instruction, and vocational training designed to increase future employment prospects also fall into this category.

Petitioning For Postsecondary Support

Either parent can file for postsecondary support. However, you must file the petition prior to the child’s 18th birthday or high school graduation. Again, whichever happens later.

Often, the original child support order addresses postsecondary support. If this is the case, the document includes a section outlining each parent’s obligation. In this situation, it’s already all laid out for you.

However, if you don’t address postsecondary support in your child support order, you have to revisit the issue later.

Who Pays For Postsecondary Education?

Both students and parents feel the financial obligation for postsecondary support in Washington. Meeting this obligation becomes even more complex when parents are divorced.

While a support order can account for postsecondary education, it’s not mandatory or automatic. You or your ex must do the legwork for this. Either when you first deal with child support, or further down the road, closer to when the child becomes a legal adult.

Related Reading: What is the Division of Child Support?

Legal Standards For Postsecondary Support

Laying out the legal standards, RCW 26.19.090 states:

“When considering whether to order support for postsecondary educational expenses, the court shall determine whether the child is in fact dependent and is relying upon the parents for the reasonable necessities of life.

“The court shall exercise its discretion when determining whether and for how long to award postsecondary educational support based upon consideration of factors that include but are not limited to the following:

• • “Age of the child;
  • the child’s needs;
  • the expectations of the parties for their children when the parents were together;
  • the child’s prospects,
  • desires,
  • aptitudes,
  • abilities or disabilities;
  • the nature of the postsecondary education sought;
  • the parents’ level of education,
  • standard of living,
  • current and future resources.
  • Also to be considered are the amount and type of support that the child would have been afforded if the parents had stayed together.”

Additionally, note that court-ordered postsecondary support can be automatically suspended if the student fails to comply with these conditions.

Except for specific circumstances, such as special needs, the court won’t order postsecondary educational support past the age of 23. After that, the child generally must fend for themselves.

Related Reading: Ways People Damage Their Own Divorce Cases

Verifying Post-Secondary Support Payments

These payments are expensive—it’s no surprise college is pricey. If you’re on the hook for your child’s college tuition, it makes sense to want to verify these post-secondary support payments. But how?

The payer has the right to require proof of secondary payments. The payee must provide proof that these payments actually go towards education. Things like a registration confirmation or grade report typically count.

Basically, it must be an official item. An Instagram post of your child hanging out at Husky Stadium probably won’t cut it.

Related Reading: Child Support Accountability: Keeping Track Of Payments