Emancipation of 17 year old!!...can i do it? is this the right room?

[Sarah]

i am a 17 year old female who's wishing for some info on Emancipation and independent living. my first question, can i do it without getting parental consent?? my parents refuse to sign me away but i know i can make it on my own. is that all i have to do is go to the court system and prove that i can handle it on my own? how much do i need to be making for income? do i need to have owned a motor vehicle? what do i all have to tell the authoritives in charge of this situation? please help in anyway you can i am ready for any info i can get.  i need out asap.  it's not anything against my parents it's just i need to be on my own and i can be so why shouldn't i right?? if you can, please email me instead of replying here or do both ? in case others need this same info.. anyways my email is [email protected]      thank you !
                                           yours,
                                                 Sarah

[MKx2]

First of all Sarah, you have to have a job that will pay enough for you to have your OWN place to live, pay utilities, buy food and other "incidentals."  A roommate won't count - roommates leave.

Additionally, your parents are the ones who must file for emanciaption.  It may depend on the state, which you did not mention.

Oh Sarah ... if you would ONLY listen to those of us who and been there, done that ... you kids are always in SUCH a hurry to grow up .... and once ya get to "grown up" it ain't all its cracked up to be by all you "under-18ers."

I wish you luck on your journey ... it will be a hard road.

[Indigo Mom]

You have less than one year until you're of legal age.  You'll be an adult then, without the comforts of mommy and daddy.  

Trust me when I say, I know you THINK you have problems now, but wait until the real world smacks you upside the head.  I couldn't WAIT to get out from under my parents watchful eyes, but lemme tell you, the grass is most definitely NOT greener in your own yard.  (and that's IF you can afford a place with a yard) It sucks.

Don't grow up too fast.  I know you want freedom, but right now...you're free from the problems of the real world.  I really wish all the youngsters of today would just be fricken kids as long as humanly possible.  

Is there a reason you want to be emancipated???  You must remember one thing.  And I swear to you, it WILL sound stupid right now.  But one day you're going to NEED your parents like you've NEVER needed anything before.  If you break all ties...they won't be there.  

My parents BITE.  They treated me like crap and still do.  I'm an adult, married, with my own family, but they STILL bite.  There are days I'd like to run away, just like you, but I know I can't cause I do need them.  (and mine live almost 3k miles away)

Think this through, and remember...you're only young and free for a short time.  Enjoy it.  You're a kid for 18 years, and adult for what...60?  Be young, have fun, respect your parents.

[Brent]

If you're 17, I would suggest just waiting out the last bit until you're 18. It's entirely possible that if emancipation was contested, the proceedings themselves could take until you're 18.

[JAFO]

You know, if you really feel this way, just go and do it.

You are at an age where if you parents tried to make you come back they would be on the losing end of the battle anyway.  

One thing I would like to point out is that sometimes emancipation is out of both of your hands.  In our state for example, a teenager is not considered an adult until they turn 19 even IF they have graduated high school.

So in a sense, we (parent and child) are stuck with each other on many different level and neither one of us can "emancipate" the other by law.  Heck, last week I went to take myself off my son's checking account because he wanted to add his girlfriend and the bank told me NO because he's not 19.   And he left on good terms!

Doesn't matter that he's truly out on his own, has his car, his apartment, his job, graduated, he's not 19.  

Keep your priorities straight first and foremost -- and get an education.  The rest of your life will fall into place soon enough