Child Support/Health Insurance

[JorgaBell]

What is the name of your state? NJ
Hello everyone. DH is curious about something. Over the weekend he and his ex got into it concerning CS and child getting money and so on and so forth.

He told her that his company will no longer insure her when she turns 23, and they will drop her before that if she is not a full time student. Ex was very mad and upset to hear this. Daughter is 20 (stb 21) at college.

Ex stated she wanted DH to find out what he needs to do to keep insurance on her after 23 because her insurance will carry her to 30 years of age. Ex works for the state.

I know this is still a couple of years away but DH hopes to have daughter emancipated in May 2007 when she is supposed to graduate college. As it stands now that is iffy according to ex.

I guess my question is, is this true about the health insurance. I have read this forum alot as it does give DH lots of help and insight as to what he needs to do concerning CS and other things. But I have never read anywhere about health insurance for someone until the age of 30.

Thanks

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? NJ
Hello everyone. DH is curious about something. Over the weekend he and his ex got into it concerning CS and child getting money and so on and so forth.

He told her that his company will no longer insure her when she turns 23, and they will drop her before that if she is not a full time student. Ex was very mad and upset to hear this. Daughter is 20 (stb 21) at college.

Ex stated she wanted DH to find out what he needs to do to keep insurance on her after 23 because her insurance will carry her to 30 years of age. Ex works for the state.

I know this is still a couple of years away but DH hopes to have daughter emancipated in May 2007 when she is supposed to graduate college. As it stands now that is iffy according to ex.

I guess my question is, is this true about the health insurance. I have read this forum alot as it does give DH lots of help and insight as to what he needs to do concerning CS and other things. But I have never read anywhere about health insurance for someone until the age of 30.

Thanks

I have never heard of that either. However, each employer has the right to set things up their own way.

Also, private policies are available....therefore she doesn't have to be without insurance.

 

[ablessin]

In New York State - -most of the bigger carriiers (Like Excellus) will cover a child until they are either 19 or 21, UNLESS they are a full time college student.
The month after they graduate college, they are automatically off the policy.
So, if Suzie graduated college on May 20th, her coverage would terminate June 1st.
SO, it isn't necessailty an age issue, so much as they live at home and are a full time student - thus the word dependent.

Some carriers even word it that so long as the parent can legally claim the child as a dependent on income taxes, they can be covered under the insurance plan.

I have never heard of a carrier allowing coverage until a "child" is 30. They are considered an adult much sooner than 30.

 

[ceara19]

I've never heard of a parent being ordered to carry insurance on a healty 30 year old child!

What exactly does his court order say about child support & insurance? I would think 21 should be the max. Why would dad pay mom CS on an ADULT child that shouldn't still need to be living with her?

 

[JorgaBell]

NJ
Dad is still paying CS because daughter is in college. She is due to graduate in May 2007 but because of changing majors several times that may not happen.

When DH and his ex divorced in 2001, things were pretty smooth. He gave in on alot of things (ie, paying 1/3 car insurance for daughter, paying 1/2 of all dance related activities) He did not want daughter to have a rough time. Now that has come back to bite in the butt. They treat him as an ATM. Daughter does not return father's calls, does not even call on father's day.

There has been no increase since the original order and DH is just trying to keeps things running smoothly until he can get daughter emancipated. Ex would like to keep daughter in college as long as possible to continue to receive CS. Even tho ex makes more than DH (or did at time of divorce, not sure if that is still the case), she complains that it is not enough money.

He didn't mind CS and contributing to College, but now ex wants him to pay her cs, give daughter money while she is away at school at contribute to college. Daughter does not work while at school because mother says she needs that time to study. DH just seen daughters grades from this past semester, she failed 1 class, and barely passed another, but did well on the others. He has been informed that daughter will need to take some summer classes so that she can get the classes she needs for her major and possible gradute sometime in 2007. Ex wants him to pay for half of summer classes she has to take. He told her send him stuff from the college and he will decide after he sees that, needless to say, ex not happy about that.

He is trying to decide if it would be worth it to try and work it out with ex or just go to court and take his chances. He feels that with a year left, it would be easier to do what she wants, but at the same time tired of being treated like a wallet. As far as health insurance divorce papers state: both parties shall continue to carry work related medical insurance coverage for unemancipated child.

 

[MrsK]

Did the courts ORDER him to help with college expenses and pay for her insurance until she graduated outright, or did he agree to it? I see that he agreed to insurance/dance/etc but did he agree to help with college/insurance, or is that something that is ordered in NJ?

I cant imagine that a state could FORCE a parent to put the child through college and still pay support and insurance on a "kid" (I use that word because she is actually an adult).

 

[JorgaBell]

NJ

Yes it is court ordered that he pay towards college and keep up the insurance.

It is a state thing from what I understand.

He has to still pay ex cs even when daughter is away at college because she has to maintain the home for the daughter. It is reduced a bit while away at school but full cs when daughter is at home (ie, summers, holiday, breaks)

The good thing is it states in divorce papers that parents have to contribute towards college after child has taken all loans, grants and scholarships available. So when all the student loans have been applied that leaves about $4,000.00 per year still due, so they each contribute $1,000.00 per semester. It seems ex has realized she may have made a mistake by having daughter get those loans because she (ex) co-signed with daughter on those and they are adding up quickly. She wants DH to pay for half of those loans when they become due. He has flat out refused. He told her daughter has to pay, ex says there is no way she will ever be able to pay all those off and that she (ex) will end up with them. DH says oh well.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. May 2007 can't get here quick enough. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

 

[ceara19]

NJ

Yes it is court ordered that he pay towards college and keep up the insurance.

It is a state thing from what I understand.

He has to still pay ex cs even when daughter is away at college because she has to maintain the home for the daughter. It is reduced a bit while away at school but full cs when daughter is at home (ie, summers, holiday, breaks)

The good thing is it states in divorce papers that parents have to contribute towards college after child has taken all loans, grants and scholarships available. So when all the student loans have been applied that leaves about $4,000.00 per year still due, so they each contribute $1,000.00 per semester. It seems ex has realized she may have made a mistake by having daughter get those loans because she (ex) co-signed with daughter on those and they are adding up quickly. She wants DH to pay for half of those loans when they become due. He has flat out refused. He told her daughter has to pay, ex says there is no way she will ever be able to pay all those off and that she (ex) will end up with them. DH says oh well.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. May 2007 can't get here quick enough. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

He needs to take mom back to court. Even though the original order states he is to pay CS while the child attends college, there has to be a cut off point. A person can remain a student forever, if they wish and can afford it.

As far as the student loans, there is no reason the daughter shouldn't be able to pay them off after graduation. That's WHY she's going to college, so she will have the ability to be gainfully employed and make a decent living.

 

[MrsK]

NJ

Yes it is court ordered that he pay towards college and keep up the insurance.

It is a state thing from what I understand.

My honest condolences. I have a huge problem with a state requiring a parent to support an ADULT- anyone over the age of 18. Parents who are married are not required to support a child for years after the age of majority and arent ordered to put their child through college.

I think that just shows how messed up the child support/family court system can be & how bad they can screw over the NCP.

I know we would be furious if my husband had to pay for a thing other than c/s, esp college and child support on top of college expenses for a 20 yr old. I cant imagine.

 

[nextwife]

NJ

Yes it is court ordered that he pay towards college and keep up the insurance.

It is a state thing from what I understand.

He has to still pay ex cs even when daughter is away at college because she has to maintain the home for the daughter. It is reduced a bit while away at school but full cs when daughter is at home (ie, summers, holiday, breaks)

Sorry, but "maintaining the home FOR the child who is away" is BS. I have MANY friends who are now empty nesters. Kids off either at school or married. THEY MAINTAIN THEIR HOME FOR THEMSELVES. My block (all single family homes, nice neighborhood, good school system), for example, has only 40% of the homes with children of any age residing with their parents. The owners stay in their homes because they like living in a home. My next door neighbor, G-d love her, is an amazing 88 year old widow. She certainly is not staying in her home for her kids.. Most of my female friends also had their own homes or condos BEFORE they had kids. Having a home is something one does with or without kids. Not one of our friends has left their home after their kids no longer lived there. Owning a home is something one does:

a. because owning real estate is a good idea over the long term.

and

B. there is a quality of life difference in living in one's own home. And a person need not have a child at home at all to desire that.

 

[nextwife]

BTW- Many colleges offer health insurance plans to enrolled full-time students, so a student doesn't necesssarilly even need their parent's policy. Here's an example:

http://www.uwc.edu/student_services/health.asp

And once they graduate and start working, they should get employer insurance.

 

[JorgaBell]

Thanks for the responses.

He has considered taking ex back to court but wonders if it would be worth it. He has not had an increase in CS since they divorced and at that time ex was making more $ than dh but do not know if that is still the case, also his pay has increased since then.

The way the system is in NJ he is worried they would make him pay more CS and contribute more towards the college. He did not have a problem paying support and contributing towards college but as time passed and he was treated more like an atm than a father he does not want to contribute any more than what is set at this time.

We have read some of the horror stories on here and it is scary to think even more would have to be paid out.

As far as maintaining the home for daughter, I totally agree with you nextwife, even if daughter moved out today ex would still be living there.

During the time that daughter is home, he pays full child support of $140.00 per week so if you take that and add the same amount from mother, that is $1,120.00 per month. And mother is complaining that she has no money (remember that she is working and making very good money) and that she has to pay for everything for daughter. During summer daughter does work (not this coming up summer as she will be taking summer school) but does not work while away at school.

I have hopes and pray that when daughter gets older that she will see that she has a great dad and things will change for the better for them. But that is a wait and see what happens thing, DH can only do so much before he gets tired of it.

 

[JorgaBell]

When should a person start paperwork for emancipation?

Since daughter started college, he has had computer access to her records, (ie grades, schedule and so on), he got on the other day to check her grades for this past semester, seen grades, called ex to talk to her about the class she failed and the class she almost failed. I think ex and daughter forgot he had access. Anyway, when he logged on today to check on something, the pin number had been changed. Either ex or daughter had to change it.

According to divorce papers, he is supposed to receive all papers pertaining to school. The only time he receives any kind of paperwork is when any kind of money is due. He has never received anything else, but he wasn't concerned because he had computer access.

He seems to think that maybe because ex has not followed what court order states, that may be grounds to try and have daughter emancipated.

Any one have any emancipation help.

Thanks to all that have responded, this forum is a great help to those who just don't know. Even those who just need to vent a little.

Also, is there a statute or somewhere where DH can read and reference to ex about CS being lowered when daughter in college.

Thanks again everyone

 

[CarrieT]

Thanks for the responses.

He has considered taking ex back to court but wonders if it would be worth it. He has not had an increase in CS since they divorced and at that time ex was making more $ than dh but do not know if that is still the case, also his pay has increased since then.

.

There are child support calculators online. (you can google it) and it gives you a rough estimate based on whatever the particular states guidelines are. All you do is fill in the amounts for each item (for instance, some states take into consideration health insurance, some dont) and that each person makes and it gives you a general idea of what the amount is you would have to pay. I dont think it can be used as a 'set in stone' type thing, however if it comes back saying he has to pay ALOT more with the current calculations, it might at least give you food for thought.

For what its worth, I think your DH is being played for a fool by the ex. Best of luck getting it straightened out.

Carrie