Is it fair for courts to make divorced parents pay for kids' college?

[TalkRadio]

There is no law requiring married couples to pay for college for their children, but when it comes to divorced or divorcing parents, there apparently is.

A 40-year-old Illinois law states that if you are divorced or getting divorced, your spouse can file a petition to allocate part of the responsibility of your children’s college expenses to you. Sound fair? Not to me, a divorced mom of two.

When a couple gets divorced, they can either mediate or come to an agreement on the terms of how much each is paying for their kids’ college expenses. Or, they can litigate, which means that either parent has the right to file a petition for the court to decide who is footing the bill.

“The court will then make a decision on what each parent pays, and what the child must pay, based on his or her funds, which can include scholarships, trust fund dollars, student loans and the amount of money that was in a 529 plan before the parents got divorced,” Stefani said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/barrington/ct-ahp-column-love-essentially-tl-0531-story.html

 

[Paul_Chance]

Yes.

It is simply an extension of child support and is usually taken into account in divorce proceedings, either negotiated or litigated, with (hopefully) the appropriate limitations based on income/expense.

Over the years I've seen everything from one spouses pays it all, to cost sharing, to deferred cost sharing, to no cost sharing. In some jurisdictions it's clearly defined in the law and in others it's absorbed in the larger divorce law and controlled by precedence.

There are abuses and apparent injustices sometimes, but usually it works well. There are functionally effective and efficient divorces and there are complete dysfunctional divorces. It all depends on the people involved and their lawyers or advocates.

LOL - and always get a prenup. Always.

 

[WoundedKnee]

"Fair" is a word I hesitate to use outside of the context of a game.
It is the battle-cry of the Progressive/SJW.

 

[SalviaDivinorum]

Yes.

It is simply an extension of child support and is usually taken into account in divorce proceedings, either negotiated or litigated, with (hopefully) the appropriate limitations based on income/expense.

Over the years I've seen everything from one spouses pays it all, to cost sharing, to deferred cost sharing, to no cost sharing. In some jurisdictions it's clearly defined in the law and in others it's absorbed in the larger divorce law and controlled by precedence.

There are abuses and apparent injustices sometimes, but usually it works well. There are functionally effective and efficient divorces and there are complete dysfunctional divorces. It all depends on the people involved and their lawyers or advocates.

LOL - and always get a prenup. Always.

Would a prenup affect your parental responsibility towards a future child?

 

[Paul_Chance]

Would a prenup affect your parental responsibility towards a future child?

Yes, a good one also addresses existing future children and anticipated future outcomes. For example, you could specify that each parent will contribute 1/2 of college education expenses, through graduate school, at a rate derived from average cost of a state university education at the time of entry and exit of the child, up to six years. You could further specify the cost would be for tuition, fees, books, room & board. Then, that leaves the student to cover additional expenses (such as private school tuition, travel, etc.) via other methods. (LOL - and if it was mine I would stipulate that the adult child was responsible or any and all student loans without assistance from the parent.)

 

[bestone4ever]

"Fair" is a word I hesitate to use outside of the context of a game.
It is the battle-cry of the Progressive/SJW.

Fair is a word that originated long before you started calling everyone who smacked you around "progressives".

 

[WoundedKnee]

Castigated by a jester form a Renaissance Fair...

 

[Hypoxia]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/barrington/ct-ahp-column-love-essentially-tl-0531-story.html

Chicago Tribune is blocked in Europe for failing to comply with DGPR. Just what data do they collect from readers, and what do they do with it?

"He doesn't make much money
Only five thousand per
Some judge who thinks he's funny
Says, 'You'll pay six to her'
He says, 'Judge, suppose I fail'
Judge say, 'Budge, right into jail
You'd better keep her', yeah, I think it's cheaper
Than makin' whoopee"​

ObTopic: IMHO parental responsibility ends when a youth hits majority age.