My wife has three kids from a previous marriage. We have always shared custody with the father. He pays 100 dollars a week in child support in which he is always behind. We have caught him up several times to keep the relationship with our children in good standing. However he has over the years tried to convince the kids to move out of our house and move in with him to eliminate his child support. Our oldest did this when she was 16. He bought her a car and failed to put insurance on it. She had an accident and totaled the car. She lost her license and had to pay a fine. She then moved back in with us. She has since moved out and got married. However our second daughter who is now 18 moved out a couple of weeks ago. She is filing for emancipation and he is filing bankrutcy on the medical bills incurred from the children (we provide health insurance and he is required to pay half of what is not covered). She is a smart girl, get good grades and we were hoping for her to go to college. If she emancipates herself, what does this mean? Will we be able to keep her on our insurance? Who will pay for college? What else will she lose if she goes through with this?

She's 18, why would she need to emancipate herself? At 18 she is considered an adult and can do what she wants. There is no need to emancipate.

As for car insurance, if she is not living with you, she has to get her own insurance. As to collegel expenses. She would have to pay whether she lived at home or not. You could help her with payments, but it would be her responsibility.

In many states if you are attending college your parents can keep you insured until you are 23. College? Yes, she would have to emancipate herself unless she wanted to put your income on the FAFSA form, and many times if you are on your own that means less financial aid for college.