Post-Secondary Support: 7 Factors Courts Consider For College
A clear guide to how judges decide whether parents must help pay for college or vocational training.
Understanding Post-Secondary Support
When a child finishes high school, child support does not always end immediately. In some situations, a court may order parents to contribute to college, vocational training, or other post-secondary education costs. This type of order is usually called post-secondary support, and it is different from ordinary child support because it depends on the child’s educational plans, dependency status, and the family’s financial circumstances.
Courts do not treat these cases as automatic. Instead, a judge typically looks at whether the child still relies on parental help for basic necessities and whether continuing support is reasonable in light of the child’s goals and the parents’ resources. In Washington, for example, the law says post-secondary educational support is advisory rather than mandatory and gives courts discretion to weigh several factors before making an order.
When a Court May Consider College Expenses
A court usually considers post-secondary support when one parent asks to extend support beyond high school. The request often comes up in a divorce, separation, or child support modification case. The key question is whether the child is still dependent and needs parental support to pursue education.
Some states require the request to be filed before the child reaches a certain age or before the existing support order ends. In Washington, a parent seeking support must move before the current order expires, and the child must remain dependent for the request to succeed. Indiana courts also allow parents to be ordered to pay part of college costs, but the motion generally must be filed before the child turns 19, with some exceptions.
Factors Judges Commonly Weigh
Courts usually decide post-secondary support by looking at the whole family picture rather than applying a strict formula. The goal is to balance the child’s educational needs with each parent’s ability to contribute.
Common considerations include the following:
- The child’s age and overall level of dependence.
- The child’s academic needs, abilities, and vocational goals.
- The parents’ expectations for the child when the family was intact.
- The parents’ education levels, current finances, and future earning capacity.
- The type of school or training program the child plans to attend.
- The child’s academic performance and progress in school.
- The amount of support the child would likely have received if the parents had remained together.
Washington’s statute specifically directs courts to consider the child’s age, needs, aspirations, abilities or disabilities, the nature of the education sought, and the parents’ financial situation. Other jurisdictions use similar reasoning, even if the exact statutory language differs.
How a Child’s School Status Affects Support
Most courts require proof that the child is actively pursuing a legitimate educational path. That usually means the child must be enrolled in an accredited academic or vocational school, attending a qualifying program, and staying in good academic standing. Washington law makes these requirements explicit and says support is automatically suspended if the child stops meeting them.
This requirement matters because post-secondary support is intended to help with education, not to provide open-ended financial assistance. If a student drops classes, falls below the school’s standards, or leaves the program, a judge may suspend or end support depending on the facts and the local law.
What Costs May Be Covered
Post-secondary support can cover more than tuition. Courts often look at the full cost of attending school, which may include books, fees, housing, and meal expenses. Some courts are more willing to include room and board when the student lives away from home because those costs are part of the real expense of attending school.
At the same time, not every cost is treated the same way. Discretionary spending, entertainment, and nonessential personal expenses are less likely to be included. One family-law source notes that tuition and books are commonly included, room and board are often included, and discretionary items are rarely covered.
How Courts Divide the Financial Burden
There is no universal formula for splitting college costs, but courts often look at the parents’ relative incomes and the child’s own contribution. In some cases, judges expect parents to share a major portion of the cost while the student contributes through savings, loans, scholarships, summer work, or part-time employment.
One common model described in legal practice is that parents cover about two-thirds of college costs and the child covers the remaining one-third through financial aid, work, or borrowing. Under that approach, the parents’ share is divided according to each parent’s income percentage. That is not a fixed rule everywhere, but it illustrates how courts often think about fairness in these cases.
| Cost item | Often included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Yes | Usually the core expense in post-secondary orders. |
| Books and required supplies | Yes | Commonly included because they are necessary for coursework. |
| Room and board | Often | More likely covered when the child lives away from home. |
| Transportation and personal spending | Sometimes | Depends on the court and the family’s circumstances. |
| Entertainment and discretionary spending | Rarely | Usually not treated as necessary educational expense. |
The Child’s Own Resources Matter Too
Courts often ask whether the student can help pay for school. Scholarships, grants, loans, savings, work-study, and part-time employment may reduce the amount parents must pay. Indiana’s guidance specifically lists the child’s ability to obtain loans and other financing as a factor, along with the parents’ ability to obtain additional financing and current child support obligations.
This approach reflects the idea that post-secondary support should fill a gap, not necessarily pay every dollar of the educational bill. If the student has significant outside aid, the court may order a smaller parental contribution or structure payments in a different way.
Age Limits and Special Exceptions
Many states place a firm upper age limit on post-secondary support. Washington, for instance, generally does not allow support beyond the child’s 23rd birthday, except in exceptional circumstances such as mental, physical, or emotional disabilities.
That kind of cutoff helps courts keep post-secondary support tied to a realistic period of education. It also recognizes that a student who is delayed by disability or similar serious circumstances may need extra time to finish a program.
How Orders Are Paid and Managed
Courts often prefer direct payment to the school when feasible. Washington law says the court shall direct that either or both parents’ payments be made directly to the educational institution if possible. If direct payment is not practical, the court may order payment to the student or, in some situations, to the parent who has been receiving support payments.
Direct payment reduces confusion and helps ensure that the money is used for educational purposes. It can also make accounting easier if the parents are splitting different categories of costs.
When Support Can Pause or End
Post-secondary support is usually conditional. If the child stops attending school, fails to remain in good standing, or no longer meets the legal requirements, the order can be suspended or terminated. In Washington, the order is automatically suspended when the student fails to satisfy the required enrollment or academic conditions.
Support may also end if the child becomes self-supporting, graduates, or reaches the statutory age limit. Because these orders are tied to educational progress, the court may revisit them if the child changes programs, takes a break from school, or switches from full-time to part-time attendance.
Why Timing Matters So Much
One of the most important details in post-secondary support cases is timing. A parent who wants the court to address college costs should not wait until the child has already aged out of the existing child support order. Washington’s guidance says a petition to modify child support to include post-secondary support must be filed before the support order ends. Indiana local guidance similarly emphasizes filing before the relevant deadline.
Late filing can create procedural problems even when the child is clearly headed to college. For that reason, parents should plan ahead and gather school information, financial records, and evidence about each parent’s ability to pay before the deadline arrives.
Practical Questions Parents and Students Should Ask
Families dealing with post-secondary support often benefit from a structured checklist. The following questions help clarify what a court is likely to review:
- Is the child still legally dependent on the parents for necessary support?
- Has the child been accepted or enrolled in an accredited program?
- Will the child attend full-time, part-time, or on a modified schedule?
- What is the total cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, and books?
- What aid is available through scholarships, grants, loans, or work?
- Can each parent reasonably contribute based on income and resources?
- Is the request being filed before the deadline set by local law?
Answering these questions early can make it easier to present a persuasive case and avoid disputes over basic facts later in the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does child support automatically continue through college?
No. Post-secondary support usually requires a specific court order or modification request. In Washington, support for educational expenses is discretionary and depends on the facts the judge finds relevant.
Can both parents be ordered to contribute?
Yes. Courts may order one or both parents to pay, depending on the law in the state and the financial circumstances of the family. Washington expressly allows payments from either or both parents.
What if my child does not live with either parent?
If the child lives elsewhere, the court may order payments to the child or directly to the school if direct payment is not feasible. Washington law addresses both possibilities.
Can support continue past age 23?
Usually no, though exceptions may apply in cases involving disability or similarly exceptional circumstances. Washington law sets age 23 as the normal outer limit.
What happens if my child stops attending school?
Support can be suspended or ended. In Washington, the order is automatically suspended when the student fails to satisfy the required enrollment or academic conditions.
References
- RCW 26.19.090 — Washington State Legislature. 2026. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=26.19.090
- Post-Secondary Educational Expenses — Allen County, Indiana. 2026. https://www.allencounty.in.gov/1086/Post-Secondary-Educational-Expenses
- Post-Secondary Support: Child Support for College — Genesis Law Firm. 2026. https://www.genesislawfirm.com/post-secondary-support-child-support-college
- Post-Majority Child Support Laws — Connecticut General Assembly Office of Legislative Research. 2002-01-01. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2002/olrdata/jud/rpt/2002-R-0101.htm
- Get child support after high school — Washington Law Help. 2026. https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/en/get-child-support-after-high-school
- Post-Secondary Child Support — Keystone Family Law. 2026. https://keystonefamilylaw.com/blog/post-secondary-child-support/
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