Paying off child support after child turns 18 but is still in high school?

[fonzie11]

State: Florida

I am the NCP in a child support case. The verbiage of the order reads that child support will continue if the child is still 18 and enrolled in high school and has not graduated college.

Once the child turns 18, I'd like to pay remainder of the child support off between the time she turns 18 and the time she graduates which is about 11 months later

I am however concerned that the CP will see that I have the capacity to pay child support early and then think that I am a piggy bank.....seeking an upward modification.

I really want the reality of being a second class citizen to be over with after all of these years and making payments for a child that I have never seen have caused me psychological problems.

I know that child support and visitation have nothing to do with each other, but the reality is that they are closely related in that one can easily be used as an arm twisting tool or even a preclusion to the other.

Thanks for any advice.

[ocean]

Put money into account and have it automatically send to state (or ex) each month. You wont have to do a thing. Do  not prepay anything. It may be counted as a gift. You are almost there!! NY is to 21 so thankfully you live there!

[fonzie11]

Put money into account and have it automatically send to state (or ex) each month. You wont have to do a thing. Do  not prepay anything. It may be counted as a gift. You are almost there!! NY is to 21 so thankfully you live there!

You know what? My case was so bad that before it became a FLDOR case. I paid it directly to CP with the words "child support" in the memo field so that I didn't end up in arrears. CP signed an affidavit with FLDOR indicating that she received nothing and it was construed directly as a gift. I'll never pay CP directly again. Don't want CP to know my account number, my credit union affiliations....nothing.

I'll just put it in some escrow account or the like in case I go broke and I am subject to some other form of judgment that could flatten that designated bank account.

19 years is a long time, life will have other types of ups and downs during that time period that don't wait for child support....but 21 years is even longer.

Thanks for cheering me up.

I can actually pay FLDOR if the case gets re-opened....if the child doesn't fail their junior year.  I *heard* from FLDOR which I don't completely trust that they disburse it in increments. So that is an option as well. To me it is paid off, but CP will never know it. Risky option, but perhaps some peace of mind. Ignorance is bliss.

[ocean]

Don't put it in the state account because both parent have access to account info. If she see that there is all that money sitting there she may bring yo back to court. They won't send it to her ahead of time but in my state you can look up your account online and see balances and payments.

[MixedBag]

Ocean gives good advice....

set it aside in a separate account....so it's not under your daily nose in your account.....  And I agree -- no lump sum.

I pay a bill here in our home similarly -- so that my sweetie doesn't have the monthly reminder of something that hurts.  He pays -- but gives me the money in a chunk which pays all his bills.  So there's a bit of protection from the monthly reminder of the jerk that gets it.

[fonzie11]

Don't put it in the state account because both parent have access to account info. If she see that there is all that money sitting there she may bring yo back to court. They won't send it to her ahead of time but in my state you can look up your account online and see balances and payments.

Genius. Thanks.

[fonzie11]

Ocean gives good advice....

set it aside in a separate account....so it's not under your daily nose in your account.....  And I agree -- no lump sum.

I pay a bill here in our home similarly -- so that my sweetie doesn't have the monthly reminder of something that hurts.  He pays -- but gives me the money in a chunk which pays all his bills.  So there's a bit of protection from the monthly reminder of the jerk that gets it.

Good idea! One of the most difficult topics on earth, and no one wants to talk about what it feels like.