[PJY-1022]

:mad:I am a divorced father of a 21 year old. I paid child support until he was 21. He has been Diagnosed with Autism. He is high functioning and is in college. He was determined by regional center to be eligible for SSI and Regional center benefits. Am I still obligated to give money to his mother for his support? She refuses to allow he to see him or have any contact with him. She claims it is his choice as an adult. He has never said that to me and has in the past communicated with me until his mother finds out and forbids him to communicate with me.

[ScottGem]

If your divorce agreement and/or state laws end support at 21, then your legal obligation ended.

[noahsdad]

As a father os an Autistic son I understand how you feel my ex wife is the same. We never know what our ex says to our children and those with special needs it just amplifies the problem. As a father we want to do all we can for our children even though others don't want us to. I opened a bank account for my son and add money to it even if he doesn't know it gives me a piece of mind that when the day comes that its needed it's there. Just make sure things are in place for him to find out about it in the future if anything ever happens to you as you get older yourself, I have a bank trustee who looks after it and has instructions on what to do if anything happens to me, also my lawyer also knows. As I said it is tough to not be part of his life I know but we s fathers do what we can and know you are not alone in this problem.

[stinawords]

If the jude rulled that your support stops at 21 then that's when it stops. Of course she can petition the court to make it continue but that will be up to a judge to decide if it is needed.

[this8384]

Just to throw my 2 cents in: if the order states that support ends when the child turns 21, then you do not have to continue to pay.

However - if you owe any back support, that will still need to be paid, regardless of how old the child is.