Should A Non-Custodial Parent Be Ordered To Help With College Tution?

Question:

The judge ruled that I have to help pay part of my daughter’s college education. What gives a judge the right to tell me I have to spend even more money? I’m involved in my daughter’s life and very close to her but I wish someone would tell me why that means I have to be responsible for her college education? It isn’t right for a judge to intrude into my life like that.

Answer:

The judge isn’t intruding into your life. When you are you wife divorced, the judge was invited into your life. That invitation into your life gave the judge the right rule according to your state’s divorce laws and evidently you live in a state that allows post majority support for college expenses.

Below are some interesting facts from a 1992 study by the Department of Education:

• Seventy Four percent of children from intact families go to college.

• Fifty Four percent of children from divorced families go to college.

• Lack of money was the main reason more children from divorced families didn’t attend college.

• Intact families have a consistently higher income level than divorced families.

• Only six percent of non-custodial parents volunteer to help with their child’s college education.

Clearly, judging from the information above children from divorced families face far greater financial obstacles when pursuing a college education. For some reason parents in an intact family are more likely to feel...read more about child support and college expenses