Affect of Reaching 18 Years of Age on Child Support in Arizona

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If you are a parent in Arizona, you need to know the age when child support ends in Arizona. As a general rule, child support ends when a child reaches the age of 18, unless the child is still in high school. If the child is still in high school when they turn 18, the child support will continue until the child graduates from high school or turns 19 years of age.

End Date for Child Support for a Single Child Versus Multiple Children

One of the most common concerns after a divorce is when child support ends in Arizona. Stated differently, what is the Arizona age limit for child support in Arizona.

Some people are worried about life changes that have made child support payments impossible to maintain as designated in the original divorce decree. 

Parents may not have discussed when child support payments will stop in other cases.

As you may know, the law requires parents to support their children financially.

But it is essential to know your rights regarding fulfilling your child support obligations in Arizona.

For parents of multiple children, there will be various dates on which the child support obligation will decrease and eventually (when the last child becomes of age) expire.

Presumptive End Dates for Child Support in Arizona

Age When Child Support Ends in Arizona.

In Arizona, a parent’s obligation to pay child support terminates or “expires” on the last day of the month when the child turns 18 years old unless the child is still in high school, pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute Section 25-501(A).

If the child is still in high school when they turn 18, the parent’s obligation to pay child support continues until they graduate from high school or turn 19 years old.

Exceptions to these guidelines can exist for special needs children who are unable to support themselves due to a disability and who, therefore, need additional time in the home with the financial support of their parents.

Arizona Child Support Orders of Assignment Entered After January 1, 2005

Suppose you have a child support order or an Order of Assignment entered after January 1st, 2005. In that case, it most likely contains the date on which the child support order automatically terminates or expires. 

But even if the date is listed, it is still the parent’s responsibility to make sure the child support order and Wage Assignment stop. That is done by filing a Motion to Terminate Wage Assignment in the months leading up to the date you believe child support should end.

Unpaid child support is still due even if the child has reached an age of majority and terminated the child support order.

Child Child End Dates in Arizona With Multiple Children

It is important to understand child support does not decrease in proportion to the number of children you have. For example, suppose you have three minor children, and you pay $900.00 in monthly support.

In that case, child support does not decrease to one-third because one-third of the children no longer require child support. Parents paying support for multiple children will need to file a Petition to modify child support when each child reaches the age of 18 and graduates high school.

Motion to Terminate Child Support After Child Support Ends in Arizona

It is also essential to know the court will not automatically lower your child support because one of the children emancipates.

A parent must file a motion to modify child support when child support ends for one child but continues for other unemancipated children.

Other Frequently Asked Questions About When Child Support Ends in Arizona:

Do you still have to pay child support if the child goes to college in Arizona?

In most cases, you do not have to pay child support if your child goes to college as long as the child is at least 18 years old. If the child is younger than 18 years old, you will have to continue paying child support until the child turns 18 years old or you file to modify child support because the other parent is no longer supporting the child.

Does Arizona child support automatically stop at 18?

Child support stops at 18 if your child has also graduated high school. If your child is still in high school when he or she turns 18, you will continue to pay child support until the child graduates high school but no longer than the child’s 18th birthday.

Will the Wage Assignment for child support automatically stop when my child support obligation ends?

The short answer is, it depends. If your Wage Assignment has a date when it expires, it will end on that date. However, you should contact your HR department at work to make sure they are aware the Wage Assignment needs to stop on that date. If your Wage Assignment does not have an expiration date, you will need to file a motion with the court issue an order to stop the Wage Assignment to avoid future child support payments from being deducted from your paycheck by your employer.

Arizona Child Support Attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC

If you have questions about ending child support, you should contact the attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC. Our Arizona child support and family law attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing clients in child support and family law cases.

Our family law firm has earned numerous awards such as US News and World Reports Best Arizona Family Law Firm, US News and World Report Best Divorce Attorneys, “Best of the Valley” by Arizona Foothills readers, and “Best Arizona Divorce Law Firms” by North Scottsdale Magazine.

Call us today at (480)305-8300 or reach out to us through our appointment scheduling form to schedule your personalized consultation and turn your Arizona child support case around today.

Scottsdale Arizona Divorce Attorney.
Scottsdale Arizona Divorce Attorney.

Chris Hildebrand wrote the information on this page about when child support ends in Arizona to ensure everyone has access to information about family law in Arizona.

Chris is a divorce and family law attorney at Hildebrand Law, PC. He has over 24 years of Arizona family law experience and has received multiple awards, including US News and World Report “Top Arizona Divorce Attorneys”, Phoenix Magazine “Top Divorce Law Firms”, and Arizona Foothills Magazine “Best of the Valley” award.

Chris believes the policies and procedures he uses to get his clients through a divorce should all be guided by the principles of honesty, integrity, and, quite frankly, actually caring about what his clients are going through in a divorce or family law case.

In short, his practice is defined by the success of his clients. He also manages all of the other attorneys at his firm to make sure the outcomes in their clients’ cases are successful as well.