{"id":351673,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:29","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/child-support\/are-you-eligible-for-child-support.html"},"modified":"2024-11-11T11:27:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T16:27:00","slug":"are-you-eligible-for-child-support","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/are-you-eligible-for-child-support.html","title":{"rendered":"Child Support Eligibility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Child Support Eligibility<\/h1>\n
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\n By Danielle Gilmore, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Parents have a legal duty to financially support their children. This includes adoptive and natural parents. The custodial parent is typically the parent who receives the child support.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

But what factors determine child support eligibility? Read on for critical information about what you must do to be eligible for child support.<\/p>\n

Why Child Support Is Important<\/h2>\n

Both parents have a legal duty to provide financial support for their children. Typically, the parent who doesn’t have primary custody of the child makes child support payments to the custodial parent for their share of the child’s financial needs. The court (using state child support guidelines) sets a child support amount to ensure that your child has enough money for the basic needs of food, clothes, shelter, and other necessities, including health insurance and child care.<\/p>\n

Depending on state law, a specific child support order remains active until the child turns 18 or 19 if the child is unmarried and still in high school full-time. Also, the child support obligation ends if a child becomes emancipated. Under certain circumstances, the court may order you to continue paying child support after the child reaches adulthood.<\/p>\n

Child Support Eligibility Requirements<\/h2>\n

It’s essential to understand the basic legal requirements that a parent or legal guardian must meet to receive child support payments from the other parent. In a typical child support situation, the <\/i>\u201cobligor," or the parent who provides the support, is generally the non-custodial parent who doesn’t live with the child most of the time. The obligor pays the custodial parent or the "obligee." However, child support is not guaranteed. Specific conditions must apply. To be eligible, you must have the following:<\/p>\n