When does it all end???

My maintenance agreement states that I must support my children until the are 18 or finish full-time employment. My daughter (Born 8/11/88) reached 18 in 2006. On 1 August 2007, at 18 years 8 months, she ceased full-time education. At this point I believe my obligations had been met and I was nolonger liable to provide maintenance for her. However, I have recently been served with more papers stating that the maintenance period was deactivated during a gap year and now that she is at university I am again liable. Does "completion of full-time education" include a gap year? Can the order be re-activated? Does this mean that should my son take a gap decade before attending university I will be liable for him too? When can I safely start to plan the rest of my life? All answers, suggestions, etc. gratefully received.

To make matters more complicated I am currently resident in New Zealand (though British citizen as are my children) with no access to my children or their plans.

I thought it was paid until they were 19 and then ends.

Maybe someone else will confirm this though. I will be interested to know the answer too.

I thought kids were for life and I will support mine as long as they need me.

Julie,

I think the question is in relation to paying CSA level maintenance. Ive looked into this and i believe its stopped being paid to the carer when the child turns 19, or previously if they come out of full time education.

I would assume most parents will then help their children by making payments to their kids directly or setting up savings accounts etc for the future.

Kind Regards
DA

You need to talk to a lawyer who can look at the exact wording of the order.

The term tertiary education causes lots of problems because it means full time education though well drafted orders would state to the end of the first decree.

As i understand it education must be seamless so if it ends in this case for a gap year so does the order for CM.

Under CSA rules child support is paid whilst the parent is eligible for Child Benefit until the child ceases full time non advanced education. Non advanced education being the equivalent of A level standard or less. CB can in some circumstances now be paid until the child reaches 20 therefore so can child support.

Once a child is 18 the CSA have no jurisdiction court do so the child would need to make their own application to court for support assuming the order no longer applies as the child ended their education.

Julie

paying CM to a parent with care is different than supporting your children IMHO.

Who supports them if they are at home and unable to find a job. Jobseekers allowance isn't much of an income.

I am not saying this is the case with this poster but it seems a lot of people want to stop supporting kids when they reach 18.

Maybe I have had a bad experience as my stbx spent his sons insurance policy on training for himself £3000 and when I asked when it would be repaid stated that son had had enough from him over the years and he wouldn't be paying it back. Charming man.