At the outside limit, the answer is “at the age of 19.” However, the child support might end earlier depending on whether the child is enrolled in high school. Child support issues can be tough and emotional. Call here at the Law Office of Robert Castro at (301) 870-1200 for a consultation. We will try and answer your questions and help with legal options. We are tough and relentless divorce attorneys in Waldorf, Maryland. Here is an explanation of when child support obligations end when a child is in high school.

Many mistakenly believe that child support ends when a child turns 18. However, that is not the case in Maryland (and in many other States). The rule in Maryland is that child support ends when a child turns 18 OR if the child is enrolled in high school, then the child support ends when the 18-year-old graduates from high school or is no longer in school OR the child (still attending high school) turns 19. So, if your child turns 18 in, say, February, the child support will continue until your child graduates from high school (which is usually in June) OR until they drop out of school OR when they turn 19.

This is provided by Maryland statute. The relevant provision is Maryland General Provisions Code, section 1-401. .In pertinent part, the section provides as follows:

” … (b) An individual who has attained the age of 18 years and who is enrolled in secondary school has the right to receive support and maintenance from both of the individual’s parents until the first to occur of the following events:

(1) the individual dies;

(2) the individual marries;

(3) the individual is emancipated;

(4) the individual graduates from or is no longer enrolled in secondary school; or

(5) the individual attains the age of 19 years.

From this it can be seen why the answer is that, at the outside limit, child support will end when your child turns 19.

There is a cautionary note that must be added. That cautionary note is that the Maryland divorce court’s Child Support Order in your case might modify these statutory provisions. Under some circumstances, a Maryland divorce can extend the payment of child support beyond the age of 18 or 19. Such circumstances might include cases where the child is unable to support himself or herself because of physical and mental disability. Thus, it is very important to review the Maryland divorce court’s Final Order. Some Orders have a very specific end date for child support. That, too, could be controlling.

Another note of caution: read the court’s Order to determine if termination of the child support payment obligation is automatic. It SHOULD be, but some Orders will be vague or require some sort of filing with the court before the payment obligations are terminated.

Contact Waldorf, Maryland Family Law and Divorce Lawyer Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland family law and divorce lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Divorce lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD, 20601.