At what age of child does child support legally end?

[mick44]

Hi, my child is 17 and a sophomore in High School. Does my legal obligation to pay child support end when they turn 18 or do I continue to pay until they graduate High School or age 19 (whichever occurs first)? I believe there was a recent change with this? Mother and I never married and never went to court fwiw.

[Attorney Howard Iken]

Age 18 or 19 - if the child has not graduated from high school. This is an interesting twist: it is 18 if the child will not graduate till after the 19th birthday.

[mick44]

Age 18 or 19 - if the child has not graduated from high school. This is an interesting twist: it is 18 if the child will not graduate till after the 19th birthday.

Thanks for the reply. I read this as well on the internet and figured it to be false. Can you point me to an official document regarding this change and express any idea why they added that twist? Trying to understand how it seems the child is penalized if they will graduate after their 19th b-day. Thanks again.

[Attorney Howard Iken]

It is in the Florida Statutes:

743.07 Rights, privileges, and obligations of persons 18 years of age or older.—
(1) The disability of nonage is hereby removed for all persons in this state who are 18 years of age or older, and they shall enjoy and suffer the rights, privileges, and obligations of all persons 21 years of age or older except as otherwise excluded by the State Constitution immediately preceding the effective date of this section and except as otherwise provided in the Beverage Law.
(2) This section shall not prohibit any court of competent jurisdiction from requiring support for a dependent person beyond the age of 18 years when such dependency is because of a mental or physical incapacity which began prior to such person reaching majority or if the person is dependent in fact, is between the ages of 18 and 19, and is still in high school, performing in good faith with a reasonable expectation of graduation before the age of 19.
(3) This section shall operate prospectively and not retrospectively, and shall not affect the rights and obligations existing prior to July 1, 1973.