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-   -   Legal age to leave home in MA? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=402260)

  • Oct 3, 2009, 12:05 PM
    notcoolenough
    Legal age to leave home in MA?
    My girlfriend is 17 and we would like to get a place together. Her father was willing to pay first, last, and security if we found a place, however, he does not want to have to do that AND continue paying child support and her mom is against the idea of no longer receiving child support.

    Her mom is a . Excuse my French, but she is very selfish and is of little help for my girlfriend.

    My girlfriend is barely at home anyway, as she stays with me most nights at my place.

    I would like somebody to point me to a legitimate direction as to laws regarding moving out of the house before 18. Is it legal at 17? Also, some information on child support would be great too. I would like to know if her father is bound by law to have to continue paying child support if she is no longer living at her mother's home.

    Also, she is definitely willing to get emancipated if that is a necessary step. Her mom is fairly useless and my girlfriend does literally take care of herself and supports her self with her 2 jobs and my help.

    THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE. This is VERY important to me.
  • Oct 3, 2009, 12:11 PM
    Fr_Chuck
    She may leave home at 18 unless she has permission of the custodial parent to live somewhere else.

    And of course dad is willing to pay some, if he gets out of paying the other, but it is not his call, I will assume mother has custody.

    Father could file for custody in court but by time he gets there, girl would be 18.

    So he has to follow the rules of the custody and child support agreement until he goes back to court and gets it changed.

    Why don't you get your own place, if you can't get a place without dads help, then you are not ready to have your own place anyway yet
  • Oct 3, 2009, 12:38 PM
    notcoolenough

    That is what we may do. I just don't want her dad to have to continue paying child support if she isn't even living with mom anymore. We found that he is unable to pay it directly to her and it has to go to mom. I like her dad and I don't see that as fair.

    Thank you for the info. :)
  • Oct 3, 2009, 04:00 PM
    stinawords

    You personally can get a place of your own and keep it for the two of you once she reaches the age of 18 (when she is an adult). Until then she must remain with her mother and if she tries to run to be with you anyway both of you can get in serious trouble. She won't be able to be emancipated so forget it. Is she making the house payments on her mothers house? Is she paying the utilities and everything as well? If not then her mother is not useless sorry to say. And of course child support will continue until she is 18 and moved out and obviously it will go to the mother because it is child support... money to help the custodial parent with the expenses of raising a child. Don't worry her 18th birthday will be here soon time flies. (though it might not feel like it right now)
  • Oct 3, 2009, 06:22 PM
    cdad

    Im curious. How old are you ? The reason for asking is that it may be illegal for you to be living together and playing house if she is under 18.

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