Maintenance and college

Pattttricky

I have two children and I'm paying 100 per week per child for maintenance ( plus half of all medical, dentist, orthodontics, Christmas, birthdays). I'm wondering what happens when my daughter goes to college next year. Does maintenance increase? Do I need to pay half of all college costs on top of maintenance? My partner would prefer a set payment, is this possible?

Pattttricky

Any experience would be really helpful!

Henry Ford III

Possibly.

It depends on what's agreed between yourself and your ex, or failing that what a court might decide.

A change of circumstances like that means maintenance can be renegotiated.

c.p.w.g.w

Genuine question...once a child is 18 is maintenance still paid?

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448130#Comment_119448130

If they are full time in college yes. It goes out to age 23 potentially.

Fiona

All depends on your court order.

My stepson is starting college in September but he got the full Susi grant so my partner will not be changing his current payments.

His mother will be taking half of the grant to make up for the child benefit being stopped as he turns 18 in November. Not quite sure that's how it works but I guess she needs to make up the shortfall somewhere as she does not work.

Not my personal experience, but what friends have done.

If the child remains living at home, the financial arrangements / maintenance order remains the same or is revisited and varied, taking into account any change in costs and the income/outgoings of both parents, in the usual way.

If the child moves out of home or away for college, parent paying maintenance ceases payment directly to the other parent, and pays support directly to their child.

Senature

Is there any logic behind why the parent who has been paying maintenance covers the child's living expenses for college if they have moved out of home? Surely the other parent should also be contributing financially?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119468918#Comment_119468918

No one said they should cover all the living expenses. Of course both parents should still be supporting their child through college, that goes without saying.

But if the child has moved out of home, each parent is now free to make their own arrangements on support with the now young adult directly, and not with the other parent.

Senature

If you have been paying maintenance by court order, I don't think you are "free" to make arrangements with the child directly. You are still the subject of a court order to pay X amount.

I'm currently aware of a situation where the child (college student) moved out, was receiving close to zero financial assistance from mum, so Dad started paying the maintenance directly to the child. Mum is now threatening Dad with court action for non payment of maintenance.

In this case mum wasn't even willing to contribute the amount she receives in maintenance to the child, let alone make her own contribution, despite earning a full-time professional salary.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470330#Comment_119470330

You must have missed where I said above that any existing order should be revisited and varied.

Either parent can apply for a variance, at any time.

When a child goes to college / moves out, is one of those stages when everything about maintenance needs to be revisited.