Child Support for adult child

[Mulder]

Hello TT,
I was wondering if there are any legal experts or just people with personal experience with regards to Child support for adult children that are studying but keep dropping out and starting a new course?
I seem to be getting conflicting advice and information on how long you must support a child who seems to be wasting his time and my money.

[Eric7]

From memory... I think you are committed to supporting them until they are either 25 or until they have completed an Ausbildung.
How old is the "adult child"?

[Bayrisch_Dude]

I had this issue a couple of year ago in dealing with my youngest who will be 30 this year.

After her Arbitur, over a decade ago, she decided to be an Au Pair in Italy. My ex and I had a chat and child support ended. This was also supported by the Jugendamt. Once her education ended I was no longer required to support her.

She returned to Germany a couple years after in Frankfurt and I did the BAföG form for her. I heard nothing of her studies afterward, but heard from a mate that she was working full time at the FraPort. Ok.

She then moved to Hamburg about three year ago. Out of the blue I received a letter from the Uni StudentenWerk wanting to me not only prepare the BAföG form again, but a wee chasitsing over why am I not paying child support! My first thought was to tell the Uni to FO.... then I went to see my lawyer who basically repeated my thought.

Her legal advice was I owe nothing in the form of child support to a 27 or 28 years old - mandatorily. I can if I wish. But the Uni has no legal authority to demand anything in that regard.

In regard to your child and mine, if they wish to do this on and off studying, we could be on the hook to support them for eternity. We do not!

My youngest turned 18 in 2013, did her Au Pair thing and I stopped the child support. Had that been wrong, incorrect or illegal, it would have been made known to me in a flash.

[Mulder]

They are 23 at the moment. The thing is that I read and was told that the child must complete their studying within a certain period and with a goal in mind so as not to be an unnecessary burden on their parents. However he has dropped out of 2 different courses in the last 2 years without having passed any exams and has now started on a 3rd completely different course which he expects me to pay for.
My understanding is that they can maybe have one change of mind if they don't like the course but basically can't keep doing it just to keep the money coming in.

[Bayrisch_Dude]

Mulder, to give yourself a wee peace of mind, I recommend having a chat with a lawyer. One could seek the thoughts of the Jugendamt.... but over the decades I've grown quite short with beamten. A lawyer will put this to a proper rest.

[Mulder]

I have spoken to a lawyer and they told me that I was correct in my understanding of the law in that I don't have to continually support someone who has no clear path and is just jumping from one course to another.
However my son has got a lawyer from the Jugendamt and they are now suing me for support. My lawyer said that judges will often side with the kids regardless of the law and thinks I should accept an offer that now has me paying even more than before.
I am inclined to fight it though as the only thing that he has to show for the last 2 years are a bunch of holidays and loads of tattoos.

[Mulder]

Also, his mother has never provided any support for him since he turned 18. She claims that she can't afford it and thus I have to pay the full amount rather than it being split between as it should be.

[Fraufruit]

Who does he live with?

Child support is usually ordered by the court when you divorce.

[Mulder]

He currently lives with his girlfriend in Stuttgart. He lived with his mother until 2022.