Stopping Child Support When Your Child Turns Eighteen

Arizona requires child support to be paid until a child turns 18 years old. However, that doesn’t mean that a parent who is paying child support should stop paying as soon as the child’s 18th birthday. In fact, there are definitely circumstances in which child support is still required to be paid after a child turns 18.

If your child has turned 18 and is still in high school, child support is still obligated until the child graduates or turns 19 – whichever comes first. For children with disabilities, the court may support a cause to continue a child support order past the age of 19.

Before cutting off child support payments, it is recommended to seek help from a family law attorney who can help you determine if you have met the terms of your child custody order and make sure you are no longer obligated to make payments. In some cases, it may be required to file a Request To Stop Income Withholding Order. In other instances, you may have overpaid child support and can request to collect overpaid support. In either case, a professional child custody attorney like those at Lasiter and Jackson Law, that is familiar with laws in Pheonix, Arizona and can help you make the best decision for your circumstance.

Sometimes, the parent making child support payments and the parent receiving them may agree that it is time for child support payments to end. In this instance, there are still steps that need to be taken.

1. Both parties will need to sign a wage withholding order and support order in front of a notary.
2. The obligation to pay child support must be ending within 90 days from the date the agreement is filed.
3. The non-custodial parent paying child support must be current on child and spousal support without owing any arrearages.

Filing Bankruptcy

Filing for bankruptcy will not take away child support debt. Parents who owe a large amount in back child support may turn toward bankruptcy services to get rid of the incurred debt, but this is not an option for child support debt.

Not paying obligated child support can result in several consequences. State and federal agencies are able to aggressively pursue and collect. Child support evasion can result in garnishment of tax refunds, driver’s license suspension, passport denial, confiscation of bank accounts, and liens on real estate.

While the end of a child support order may seem like the light at the end of the tunnel, obligated child support payers should always make sure they end child support payments legally and with the assistance of an experienced family law attorney who understands the child support laws in Phoenix Arizona. If you are nearing the end of your child support agreement or you have another reason to terminate child support payments, contact the attorneys at Lasiter & Jackson in Phoenix today. We can help you understand your rights and responsibilities and make sure that the termination of support works out in your best interests.

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