Child Support for a disabled child doesn't have to end in Missouri

If you have a seriously disabled child and are divorced or in the process of getting divorced, continuing support for your child as they become an adult can be a concern.

The rules having to do with ending child support don't necessarily apply where the child is seriously disabled. A serious disability is a disability that will keep the child from ever supporting himself. For some children this means that the child will live in a group home or other sheltered facility after the death of her parents. For other children, the disability can mean that, although the child doesn't have to live in an institution, the child will never be able to become self-support, whether the child's disability is physical, emotional, or learning-related.

Fortunately, it is possible in Missouri to have child support continue past the normal age of emancipation. If a court finds the disability is serious the court can order the child support to continue into the child's adulthood.

If you have a seriously disabled child who will be needing support from his parents throughout his life, you should discuss this issue with your attorney.