Child support is financial support paid by one parent to the other for the wellbeing of their children. Typically, the amount of child support payable is determined by the payor’s income, the number of children, and the province of residence for the paying parent. 

If you are a parent who pays child support, you might wonder, when does my obligation to pay child support come to an end? You might think that when your child turns 18, you can automatically stop paying child support. This is not necessarily true.  Children over the age of 18 may continue to be entitled to child support depending on their circumstances.

The most common reason that children over the age of 18 may continue to be entitled to child support is if they are attending post-secondary education or training.  The amount of that support may vary and can include some obligation for that child to contribute to their expenses, but the entitlement does not automatically terminate once they have graduated from high-school or reached the age of 18.  Another example where the obligation to pay child support may continue is if that child has mental or physical disabilities which prevents or limits their ability to provide for themselves.  If these circumstances apply, then an analysis of the financial circumstances of the child and the parents needs to be assessed to determine ongoing child support.

If your child has turned 18 and has completed high-school and neither of the above circumstances apply then your child support obligation should likely come to an end.  However, that does not automatically occur and you may need to seek agreement or a court order to terminate an existing support obligation. 

If you have questions or concerns about your child support obligations, please contact our family law team at www.mckercher.ca/familylawsask.