Q: Can my 18-year-old daughter move to Puerto Rico with her father and then ask me for child support?
My daughter had the choice live here for free and go to school or get a job and pay rent. She decided to be on her own and lived with a family member for almost a year and worked a job. Recently moved to P.R. and is living with her father. Now, she is asking for the child support card and money, b/c it is hers anyway. Said I would receive a letter or to send her the money. This is all coming from my daughter, not the father. I am unemployed at the moment, but my wife is working and pays the bills. Should we be worried about this? What kind of issues could we be facing? My rule was to go to school, but now she wants to move to P.R. and has talked about school there in recent weeks and a day ago throws this all at me. So, I wanted to her to go to school and now she may but I feel she may be trying to get me to pay child support by force. Not to learn but to get money b/c she doesn't have a job or want to work.
A: Question 1: Is there a current child support order in place? If no, then you have no financial obligation at all. Legally child support can only be pursued by the parents so your child has no legal standing to request child support from you. Finally, if your child is 18 then she is emancipated and child support is over. All of the above is based on Florida law (not PR, although that is probably not an issue). Speak with a local family lawyer for more specific advice.
Pamela J. Fero agrees with this answer
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