If you’re paying or will be paying child support, you may be wondering:
At what age does child support stop?
The answer, in most cases, is at the age of 19 in Colorado.
BUT
That doesn’t necessarily mean the child support obligation for your child or children will end when they turn 19.
If you’re only paying support for a single child, payments will, in most cases, automatically stop once the child reaches the age of majority, which is nineteen years old.
If you’re making payments for multiple children, the amount of support will not automatically change when the oldest turns nineteen, and you will need to file a motion to modify your support payments.
Exceptions to When Child Support Ends
As mentioned above, child support obligations don’t always end when the child turns 19.
There are multiple reasons why child support may continue after a child has turned 19, as well as support being terminated at an earlier age.
Don’t stop payments before you verify!
It is important to verify that there is no longer a support obligation. If you stop paying your court-ordered child support prematurely, you can owe a significant amount back child support with interest.
Not paying child support can also cause you to run into some embarrassing legal trouble.
Likewise
If you continue paying support longer than you were supposed to, the other parent will have to pay you back.
Circumstances That Extend the Support Obligation
If your child is still in high school or an equivalent program when they turn 19, under state law, support is owed until:
- The end of the month following their high school graduation
- The child drops out of school
- The child turns 21 years old
If the child has a mental or physical disability that prevents them from being self-sufficient, the court may order you to pay child support beyond the age of nineteen.
Parties can also stipulate to continued support after the age of nineteen if they so desire.
If approved by the court, the terms of the agreement are enforceable (14-10-112).
Circumstances That Shorten Support Obligations
Under Colorado law, child support terminates earlier than age 19 if your child emancipates.
If your child gets married, they will be emancipated as of the date of marriage, and your payment obligation will end.
However
Your support payments may be reinstated if the marriage is annulled, dissolved, or declared invalid.
If your child joins the military, they will be considered emancipated, and child support ends.
Your child is also considered emancipated if they are self-supporting. Meaning they are financially independent and capable of supporting themselves without parental assistance.
Additionally
If the paying parent is willing to give up their parental rights and let the other parent’s new spouse adopt the child, their child support payments are terminated upon completion of the stepparent adoption.
Changing Your Child Support Obligation
As mentioned previously, if you only have one child for whom you’re paying support, your obligation will automatically end once your child turns nineteen, and you do not need to file a motion with the court.
Unless there is an exception in play.
If you have multiple children for whom you have a support obligation, your obligation will not automatically change when a child reaches nineteen years of age.
You will need to file a motion to modify your child support orders before you can stop paying child support for the emancipated child.
If you need to modify your support obligation because a child has aged out or for other reasons, such as losing a job, check out our article on child support modification.
Do You Still Have Questions About When Child Support Ends?
If you have any questions about when child support ends or need help modifying it, please call us at 303-695-0200 or submit the contact form below to schedule a consultation with one of our child support lawyers.
