In the State of Illinois- who is responsible for a adults child's college exp senses?, the parents are divorce
Question:
Answer:
Unless there was a specific notation issued in the court order regarding parenting rights and responsibilities (child support most specifically would cover this item) making one or both parents responsible for education expenses, then the adult-child is on his or her own.
Most court orders will make education coverage a point to encompass something like" The parent (mother/father) shall pay 50% of child's college education, every other year, for the course of college education, or until the child reaches the age of 24, whichever comes first" or something similar (my cousin's b!tch exwife had a stipulaiton like this drawn into their divorce decree).
Read the court dissolution and child support papers; if there's nothing there then the kid's on his/her own with regard to college costs.unless the non-custodial parent is feeling rather benevolent.
There does not need to be a statute. Parents are simply not responsible for paying for a child's college. There is no law that says anyone must attend college.
Adult children are responsible for their own college expenses. Parents are under no obligation, whether there is a divorce or not.
The correct answer is Yes.
Illinois is in the minority of states in this regard. In only 17 states including Illinois can a parent be forced to pay for what is often called “post-high school educational expenses.” However, Illinois law limits this expense to the time period before a child obtains a baccalaureate degree.
The standards are 1) the financial resources of both parents and of the child; 2) the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had there not been a divorce; and 3) the child's academic performance. The last portion of the statute “the child's academic performance” was added in January 2000.
ALSO, There has been a recent change to the statute which now provides that, “the authority under this Section ... terminates when a child receives a baccalaureate degree.” However, there is very little case law in Illinois which addresses whether the obligation may extend to a fifth year if the child does not obtain a degree within a four year period. Most agreements I have seen limit an obligation to the payment of four years of educational expenses
Furthermore, Illinois case law has a preference for in-state schools. For example, for the 2006-07 school year, the current cost for tuition alone at Northwestern University is approximately $33,408 per year while room and board were $10,266. The tuition cost at the University of Illinois is depends upon the program. The base rate for students for the 2006-2007 year is 7,826 (not including room board, etc.) In 2006-07 the additional expenses were estimated to be fees of $1,758, room and board of $ $9,802, books and supplies of $950. The "typical" tuition cost at Northern Illinois University is approximately $7,218 per year for the 2006-2007 school year - including general fees. I have found that it is unusual for a party to be ordered to pay for out-of-state schools, except in cases involving a very high wage earner, involving a very large estate or in certain other limited circumstances.
Most well drafted marital settlement agreements will provide a benchmark school which will establish the most expensive school a child may attend. In the counties where I practice, including McHenry County, I have found that common benchmarks include the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana or Northern Illinois University
Illinois divorce law also includes medical expenses as expenses the court may require the parties to pay, including medical insurance and dental expenses while the subject child attends college.
And finally, because the court retains jurisdiction over the child unless and until the child is no longer a minor or subject to the order, the modification can be filed at any time during the life of the order.
In most circumstances, the court will reserve the matter for later consideration, however, it retains jurisdiction.
The adult child is responsible for any college expenses. Unless, IN THE DIVORCE DECREE, one of the parites agreed to pay for it.
Get a copy of the decree and read it.
Then apply for loans/grants like everyone else.
Good luck.
If it's not stated in the divorce decree that one of the parents will be responsible for college tuition or that they share in the expenses, then there is no requirement by either parent unless it is part of the state code that the parent with primary custody assume the cost. Since college is not mandatory education, I don't see how the state could force that anyway
If the child is staying with you and you can't afford the expenses.Apply for grants OR student loans.OR tell your child to get a job to pay the expenses themself.
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