If you’re like many California parents currently receiving child support, you’re probably already aware that court-ordered child support generally stops when the child turns 18. In the case of those still enrolled in high school full-time, California law stipulates that support continues until the child turns 19 or graduates, whichever happens first. However, the times we live in may have you wondering how you’re going to make ends meet after the child support ends. After all, 18 and 19 year-olds are rarely self-supporting, and your child may have aspirations of pursuing higher education. Fortunately, you aren’t without options. Here’s what you need to know:
You Can Petition the Court for Increased Spousal Support
After child support ends, you have a window of up to six months from when the support ends to petition the court for increased spousal support to compensate for the loss of income. The end of child support can be considered under California law to be a change in circumstances that the courts can use to justify increasing spousal support.
Although the termination of child support is a reason for the court to revisit the spousal support issue, there’s no guarantee that spousal support will be increased. Spousal support legally cannot be modified in specific situations, such as when a Marriage Settlement Agreement was put in place as part of the initial divorce agreement or a Stipulated Judgment that specifies what happens in the future when child support payments end.
Contact MNB Law Group, Inc., for More Information
We provide prospective clients with an initial consultation so they can have a no-risk way of exploring their legal options, so please feel free to contact MNB Law Group to find out more about having your spousal support increased after your child support runs out.
