As of October 2002,
Connecticut law allows a divorce court to order that
parents pay for their children to attend up to 4 years of
college or an occupational school.
The order may include any
necessary educational expense, including tuition, fees,
room and board, dues, registration fees, application fees,
books and health insurance.
The divorce court cannot order
payment of educational expenses that would be greater than
what the expenses would be for a full-time in-state
student at the University of Connecticut. The
parties, however, may agree to pay greater expenses and
the divorce court can enforce these greater payments.
If an educational support
order is not entered at the time of the divorce, then an
order cannot be entered in the future unless the divorce
decree says that the parties may ask for an order in the
future.
If the divorce decree is by
agreement (that is, without a trial), then the parties
have three choices in regard to an educational support
order.
 |
Whether
the
parents would have paid for college if there had been
no divorce. |
|
The parents' income, assets and other
obligations, including obligations to other children. |
|
The
child's assets and ability to earn income. |
|
The
availability of financial aid from other sources,
including grants and loans. |
|
The
reasonableness of the higher education considering the
child's academic record. |
|
The
child's preparation for, aptitude for and commitment
to higher education. |
|
The school the child plans to attend, if
known. |
