Divorced parents must pay for college?

[Lynda/WA]

Today's topic on talk radio is an Oregon law that says a judge may require one or both divorced parent(s) to pay for their child(ren)'s college education. This isn't something agreed upon at the time of the divorce but later. Either parent (and the children I think) can petition the court to force the other parent to pay for college of a child over the age of 18. Do you think this is right?

The law was challenged by a father of 3. He said it isn't right since not all parents choose to pay for their child's college. Plus there isn't a law to force married parents to pay for college. The host pointed out that it takes away the parents right to use this as an incentive.

[coulie]

Lynda/Wa

this sounds very wrong...I am looking into it a bit. I will get back to you with what I find.

Coulie

[Diane]

I don't think it's right to force ANY parent... married OR divorced to pay for their child/ren's college education. It doesn't make any sense to me either... In my own way of thinking... it seems to me that the MARRIED couple could better afford to pay for their child's college education than a struggeling single/divorced parent who is already trying to make ends meet. I think it's every parents dream/wish to be able to do this for their child/ren but unfortunately... not everybody can afford to do it... :(

Diane... :wave:

[angie r]

A friend of mine and my brother are both obligated by their divorce to fund their children's education, including college. If their dk's don't go directly to college from high school then they are not obligated to pay for it.

[kat]

My brother too is obligated in his divorce decree to pay for college, but if her grades fall below a B he does not have to pay. It also doesn't have to be ivy league.

I personally don't think you should force divorced parents who can't afford it to pay for college. Many married couples can't afford it. I would imagine though that if they could not afford it, there would be more grant money available to them. I don't know what the grant situation is these days, it was drying up way back when I used it and had to borrow money my last year.

Is this possibly a family that can afford it, but the divorce has just gotten nasty.

[Linda/NE]

I also agree that the father shouldn't be forced to pay because of a divorce. Kat asked the question if the parents could afford and just didn't want to pay. Although I think, in that case the father should, that doesn't necessarily mean an obligation to do so. There are some parents that regardless how well off they are, they expect the child to earn scholarships, work,etc. to pay their way through school. Like I said, I don't agree with that line of thinking, just pointing out that some people have that philosophy.