Questions relating to this issue are quite common, and the answers are not always as straightforward as parents might expect. Here are the BASICS:
University/college costs are what are called “section 7 expenses” - they are a form of child support under the Child Support Guidelines (both federal and provincial - see section 7 of those);
Here is a hypothetical about which we receive a lot of questions:
Question: “My son turned 18 nine months ago. I stopped making child support payments to my ex-wife based on our court order a month later because he is now 18. I just got a letter from the Family Responsibility Office that I have to pay up what I owe for the last 8 months and continue to pay on a monthly basis. But he is 18!!! His mother is also sending me emails that I "do not get it" and have to continue paying. Do I have to?
Read MoreQuestion: I am still paying child support for my 16 year old son. Someone just told me he is not in school any more and now working full-time. Am I entitled to know what he is doing? How do I find out?
Read MoreQuestion: “My ex-wife is now married to a rich guy. They live in a mansion and she drives an Audi. She does not need child support from me. Do I still have to pay it?”
Answer: The answer is "yes".
Read MoreWe hear this statement quite frequently.
Here is a typical scenario:
* Parties' family law case ends with a final order for child support. They have one child. Dad pays child support for 9 years.
*Daughter turns 17 and moves in with her boyfriend. She also gets a full-time job.
*Dad has irregular contact with daughter, particularly as she gets older.
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