We are often asked “How long does child support last in a North County divorce?” What expenses should be included when considering child support obligations?
Many people mistakenly believe that child support includes the division of college tuition and expenses, or basically until the child grows up and moves out of the house on their own.
Under California law, child support in North County San Diego should last until the child reaches the age of 18 (or 19 if they are still a full time student in high school). Child support is not intended to cover education costs, and this is why many people become confused about private school or college tuition and expenses.
Child support after a Carlsbad divorce is intended to help maintain the child’s safety and care including costs associated with housing, food, clothing, healthcare, and incidentals such as school supplies. Some divorce settlements may include provision for private education, uniforms, extra-curricular activities, etc. but these expenses are not intended to be covered under California’s child support guidelines.
Child support is often intricately tied to each parent’s percentage of child custody and parenting time, in addition to the financial imbalance between the former spouses. This can change in the future. If either party achieves a significant new job or raise, or the amount of time spent with each child under the support order changes a post-decree modification may be in order. This is also true if the party receiving support remarries or if the payor loses their job or is given a substantial reduction in pay.
The experienced divorce and family law attorneys at Burke & Domercq can answer all your questions including how long does child support last in a North County divorce. If you have questions regarding child support, spousal support or any other issue associated with your divorce we invite you to contact us or call 760-389-3927 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced attorneys.