Does Child Support Stop Automatically When a Child Turns 18 in Ontario?
No. Ontario does not end child support automatically when a child turns 18. An order or agreement can set an end date or a 'terminating event'. If it is silent, both parties must agree to end payments, or a judge decides.
A parent must support an unmarried child who is enrolled in a full-time program of education, to the extent the parent is capable of paying. For a child at or over the age of majority, the amount is set by applying the guidelines as if the child were a minor, unless the court finds that inappropriate.
If your order is filed with the Family Responsibility Office, only the Director can enforce it, and orders made in court are automatically filed. Withdrawing an order from the office needs a written notice signed by both the recipient and the payor, unless the payor is behind, in which case the recipient alone may withdraw. While a case is registered, the payor must make all payments through the office. Ask a lawyer how to end or continue support in your case.
Key takeaways
- Child support does not end automatically when a child turns 18.
- If an order or agreement is silent on an end date, both parties must agree to end payments or a judge decides.
- A parent must support an unmarried child who is enrolled in a full-time program of education, to the extent the parent is capable of paying.
- While a case is registered with the Family Responsibility Office, the payor must make all payments through it.