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Is There Child Support for Children over 18?

 

Yes. The court can make orders for support, maintenance, and education for children between 18 and 21, if they live with their parent and are mainly dependent on that parent for their maintenance.

The court can also make these orders for 21 and 22 year olds if they live with one of their parents.  They must also be mainly dependent on that parent for their maintenance and be in school or college.1

Endnotes

1 "The court may make appropriate orders of maintenance, support and education of any child who has attained age eighteen but who has not attained age twenty-one and who is domiciled in the home of a parent, and is principally dependent upon said parent for maintenance. The court may make appropriate orders of maintenance, support and education for any child who has attained age twenty-one but who has not attained age twenty-three, if such child is domiciled in the home of a parent, and is principally dependent upon said parent for maintenance due to the enrollment of such child in an educational program, excluding educational costs beyond an undergraduate degree." G.L. c. 208, § 28; G.L. c. 209 § 37; G.L. c. 209C § 9(a).


Produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Last updated December 2011


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