CS for College

[frenchsails]

I have been divorced for 12 years.
My 18 year old son will be graduating from high school this June.
CS order says support stops upon HS graduation and does not mention anything about paying for college.
My son has been accepted into a very expensive private school beginning fall 2004, my ex has said he won't pay and I cannot afford such high tuition on my teachers salary.

1) Can I still go back to court and ask for child support to be extended into  the college years?

2) Would I just file a modification request?

3) Is there any other way I can get the court to force my ex to pay for a part of this tuition?(he earns triple my salary)

Thank you for your advice

[frenchsails]

Sorry I forgot to mention my state. Maryland it is!

[Kitty C.]

This is strictly opinion and that of my own.

No one can force either parent of an INTACT marriage to pay for college, so why should you try to force your ex?  There is such things as scholarships, grants, student loans, and part time jobs.  If your son wants it that bad, he will do what it takes to get it.  Besides, he's 18 and considered an adult.  Once he graduates and is on his own, it's HIS responsibility, not yours or his father's.

DS's dad died almost 2 years ago, and DS does get SS survivor benefits.  Does this also mean that when he wants to go to college, I should try to force the government to pay for his education?  I think not.  And I certainly can't afford to pay for it myself, nor should I.  We're already looking at options, one of which is going into the military first.

Just curious, how was your college education funded?

[socrateaser]

>1) Can I still go back to court and ask for child support to
>be extended into  the college years?

No. If your original support orders were made under Maryland law, then you may not ask the court to order post-secondary (college) adult child support, UNLESS you and the other parent "agreed" to such support as part of some prior support order, and that agreement was ordered by the court.

>
>2) Would I just file a modification request?

If you could, you would, but you can't, so you won't.

>
>3) Is there any other way I can get the court to force my ex
>to pay for a part of this tuition?(he earns triple my salary)

Only one way -- if your child were to become incapable of supporting himself as an adult (i.e., permanently physically disabled) prior to your ex receiving an order terminating child support on grounds of the child reaching the age of majorty, then the court can continue the support obligation indefinitely. So, unless the kid plans to throw himself in front of a speeding bus before he turns 18, your ex is off the hook.