When does child support end in Florida?

In Florida, child support ends with the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later.  At that time, it is not automatic, you do need to get a court order modifying or eliminating the child support.

Bob: I pay child support. I was just wondering when my obligation stops in Florida as far as paying child support? And when it does stop, do I have to go petition the court or does it automatically stop? Am I responsible say if she goes to college?

Attorney Tom Olsen: Great questions, Bob. Unless your final judgment or your material property settlement agreement says something different. Your child-

Bob: I wasn't married. I'm sorry.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Right.

Bob: I wasn't married.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Unless you have some settlement agreement that says otherwise, your child support will end when your child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. To go along with that, then you would not be obligated to pay college unless you, somewhere along the line, you signed on a dotted line saying that you'd pay for college.

Now, after that, Bob-- that's the good news. The other news is that when your child support is done with, yes, you have to back to court and get a court order that says your child support has ended. Otherwise, wherever you're making those payments to, they're going to think you're in default and start coming after you.