How long does support continue? How many degrees?

Just because a child is a full time student does not necessarily mean that he/she is a “child of the marriage” and is entitled to support.  However, the courts are reluctant to terminate support prior to a child obtaining at least one post-secondary education degree.

The courts seem to be willing to give children extra time to finish their first post-secondary education degree, especially if there is a reason for the delay.  However, the courts also expect children to finish their degree in a reasonable time frame or there is a risk that support may terminate.

It is possible that child support may continue past the first post-secondary education degree.  However, it depends on the education and career plans of the child, the age of the child, the resources of the parents, the ability of the child etc.

Therefore, although there are no concrete guidelines as to how many degrees a child is permitted to obtain and still obtain support ( a PHD? Masters? etc.), the courts do seem to allow support to continue in appropriate circumstances.

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