Kids are expensive even when there are two parents to pay the costs. When you divorce, it can be even more difficult for the parents in the family to maintain two separate households while still meeting the needs of their children.
A parental divorce can mean reduced economic opportunities for children. As a loving parent, you obviously want to give your children every opportunity in life, even if you know you won’t be able to pay for college by yourself. Will the court order child support if your kids get in to good schools?
North Carolina has rules about when child support ends
Many people think that child support ends when a kid turns 18, but the truth is a little more nuanced than that. A child with special needs who will never live independently could require child support for the rest of their life.
A child who started school late or has academic struggles might continue receiving child support until they turn 20 or graduate from high school, whichever happens first. For the more academically inclined children of divorced parents, child support will likely end before they start college unless they finish high school early.
You can negotiate a child support agreement during your divorce
While the North Carolina family courts likely aren’t going to order your ex to pay support during college or contribute additional money to a college fund, you may be able to appeal to their love for the children and get them to see how important making those financial contributions will be.
The two of you can agree to special child support arrangements that continue for as long as your child is in college or agree to make contributions now in addition to child support to a special fund. These negotiations can be part of setting up your custody and visitation agreement and can go a long way in protecting your children from the negative consequences of divorce.
