St. Louis Child Support Lawyer

Does Child Support Extend Through College?

Missouri child support doesn’t automatically end when a child turns 18. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.340, support continues if the child is still enrolled in and attending secondary school at 18, running until graduation or age 21, whichever comes first.

For postsecondary education, support may continue past 18 if the child enrolls in a qualifying institution of vocational or higher education no later than October 1 following high school graduation, completes at least 12 credit hours per semester (excluding summer), and maintains grades sufficient to re-enroll. Under those conditions, support can continue until the child completes the program or reaches age 21, whichever comes first. Because these terms can be addressed in the parenting plan, college funding is worth raising during divorce or paternity proceedings rather than after the fact. Planning gets more complicated when you factor in variables like:

• Private vs. public institution
• In-state vs. out-of-state enrollment
• Financial aid availability

Once a child is enrolled in a postsecondary institution, the parent paying support or the child may petition the court to redirect payments directly to the child rather than to the parent receiving support.

How Missouri’s Form 14 Determines Your Child Support Amount

Missouri requires child support to be calculated using the Presumed Child Support Calculation Worksheet, commonly called Form 14. The St. Louis County Family Court, part of the 21st Judicial Circuit, handles these matters for parents in St. Louis County, with cases heard in Clayton. Understanding how Form 14 applies to your specific income facts and custody schedule is one of the most practical things a child support attorney can do for you before any order is entered.

Form 14 weighs the gross income of both parents, the number of children, health and dental and vision insurance costs, work-related child care costs, ongoing medical and special needs expenses, and the number of overnight stays with each parent. Small errors in income reporting or parenting-time calculations can significantly shift the result. We help clients understand how their specific numbers apply to the Form 14 calculation and what the resulting order may look like before they step into court.

Contrary to instinct, the paying parent’s ability to pay is rarely a direct factor in the standard calculation:

• In a 50/50 custody arrangement where one parent earns substantially more, a child support order is still likely.
• In a 50/50 arrangement where the parents’ incomes are nearly equal, no order may be entered.
• Courts may deviate from the Form 14 presumed amount, but doing so requires specific findings on the record.

How Child Support Is Collected in Missouri

Once a child support order is in place, payment is mandatory. If the paying parent falls behind or pays late, the receiving parent may request that support be deducted directly from the paying parent’s paycheck through a Federal Income Withholding for Support filing. Missouri courts can also pursue enforcement through driver’s license suspension, tax refund interception, property liens, and contempt proceedings.

Modifying a Child Support Order in Missouri

Either parent may petition to modify an existing support order if there is a substantial and continuing change in circumstances that makes the current amount unreasonable. Changes that may qualify include:

• Change in employment
• Remarriage of a former spouse
• Custody changes
• Shifts in the financial needs of the children or either parent
• Relocation

Unemployment alone may not be enough to justify modification if the court finds the unemployed parent has the capacity to earn based on their skills, education, and available opportunities. The court retains discretion over whether the change in circumstances is sufficient.

Related Page:

• Missouri Child Support Enforcement

Looking to modify an existing support order or need help establishing a new one? Our St. Louis child support lawyer is ready to hear from you. Call us at (314) 309-2799 or contact us online to get started.