Life’s Changes Can Bring End to Support

Child support orders can be terminated for a variety of reasons:

• The child reaches the age of 18 and no longer attends an accredited high school full-time
• The child attends an accredited high school but has reached the age of 19
• The child marries
• The child dies
• The child enlists in the armed services
• The child is deported
• Legal custody of the child changes

Procedures

The procedures for terminating a child support order are as follows:

1. Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) receives notice from an obligor, obligee or agency of a possible reason or reasons for termination. -termination request
2. Within 20 days of receiving notice, the CSEA completes an investigation. The CSEA files findings of the termination investigation with the court. The CSEA also may file an order to hold funds pending resolution of the case. The obligor and obligee receive copies of the findings and their hearing rights.
3. Objections to the findings must be received by the CSEA within 30 days to request an administrative termination hearing. (If no objections, the action proceeds to 7 below.)
4. Notice of an administrative hearing is sent to the parties.
5. After the hearing, results are sent to the parties, who have 33 days to object and file a court motion.
6. The final termination order is filed with the court.
7. The CSEA notifies the obligor’s employer of amended or terminated withholding.