A parent who lives with their child may be painfully aware of just how much money it takes to raise that young person. From costs associated with keeping food in their body and a roof over their head to paying for their clothes, school supplies and activities, a Phoenix parent may be stretched to cover the many expenses that are required to maintain a child’s needs.
In Arizona both of a child’s parents are responsible for contributing financially to the child’s well-being. As such, if the child’s parents are no longer together then a child support order may be necessary to ensure that the noncustodial parent continues to provide for their kid. Child support obligations can last for many years but generally terminate when the children subject to them turn eighteen years of age.
However, there are exceptions to this general rule. For example, some children are still in high school when the turn eighteen. In this case, a child support order would last until the child graduates from high school or turns nineteen, whichever comes first.
Also, if a child suffers from a condition that requires them to receive specialized care an order of child support may extend well beyond their eighteenth birthday. Child support orders can be uniquely drafted to encompass the particular needs of the child who is subject to its terms.
Arizona parents can support their children through agreements as well. Whether they choose to continue to support their kids through high school, college or beyond, these agreements must be approved by family law courts in order to be judicially enforceable.
Child support is an important way that a parent helps take care of their child. Specific child support questions and further inquiry regarding the end of a child support obligation should be taken up with a Chandler child support lawyer. This post offers neither legal advice nor guidance and is provided as information only.