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  • University Expenses

    Regarding secondary education expenses...is there a cap on the amount that a child could potentially spend on tuition?

    For instance, if our child ends up going to an American university...which is going to be significantly higher in cost than a Canadian university...could he take issue with the amount of the split?

  • #2
    Yes I'm sure any parent could contest it. Is there a valid reason why they can't do their undergrad in Canada?

    Comment


    • #3
      Just speaking to our situation. Even though kidlet could have obtained his degree in Canada he attended school in the States and the judge approved it when mom appealed

      The judge considered history

      - both parents attended university in the USA (undergrad for mom, grad for dad).

      - both parents had the means (high income earners, though mom has her income imputed to her, though it's over 6 figures)

      - program kidlet was accepted to was far more prestigious and with a far greater chance of higher income once graduation occurred (think top name Ivy league school).

      - due to scholarships kidlet received, it wasn't that much more expensive than a Canadian university.

      Thus it really depends on the situation.

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      • #4
        ...due to scholarships kidlet received, it wasn't that much more expensive than a Canadian university.
        I'm hoping this is the case for our daughter as well but tuition rates will definitely be higher regardless.

        Its a couple years off yet...but I'm anticipating that my ex is going to have an issue with her going to an American school based on cost.

        I think like your case, I'll have enough basis to make the argument that it would be a more advantageous situation for her though.

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        • #5
          University Expenses

          If youre far enough out and have a pretty good parenting relationship, perhaps you can talk with your child to discuss costs and responsibilities and benefits to one or the other etc. My partner is struggling with this situation because his ex is refusing to work together and his daughter doesnt get that she is responsible for costs as well. On the other hand, my niece wants to go away to school and her parents told her she had to get a job which she promptly did within a week. You can start now looking at options for scholarships, awards, savings accounts, bursaries, working to save shares etc. All three of you have a share in the cost so its good to look at it early and have some answers to alleviate the stress.

          Remember though, depending on what your agreement says, in most cases the child is responsible for a share of the costs so it would be in everyones best interest to look at the cost/benefit. And cs is reduced if kid is away at school so that factors in too.
          Last edited by rockscan; 10-30-2014, 01:15 PM.

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          • #6
            Remember though, depending on what your agreement says, in most cases the child is responsible for a share of the costs so it would be in everyones best interest to look at the cost/benefit. And cs is reduced if kid is away at school so that factors in too.
            I recognize that our daughter will be responsible for apx 1/3 of the costs. I would expect her to get a part time job to help out with books but my new partner and I will take on her portion..in addition to my 1/3. We have no issue with that.

            I was just wondering if my ex could argue a cap on his 1/3 based on the amount of Canadian tuition. Obviously, we're going to investigate all financial ways to reduce the tuition amount but American universities (depending on which she chooses) are just more expensive.

            I'm just trying to plan in advance because I know that my ex doesn't believe in paying any tuition. We both paid our own going through school and our secondary degrees were paid for by the companies we worked for and he thinks how that is how it should always be. His opinion is that its ridiculous that parents pay tuition for kids...it was a constant battle when we put our oldest through school.

            For me, one of the many, many benefits of divorce is that he is legally forced to contribute to these costs on some level.

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            • #7
              There is no shame in kids paying for their own degrees. While divorce forces the hands of payers in this regard, I personally am of the opinion that individuals should foot their own tuition bills.

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              • #8
                So interesting how we reduce our childrens education down to what can I get my ex to agree to! Will the judge rule in my favour. Ask yourself this question. If we were in an intact relationship/ family what would the discussion and decision be be?
                Last edited by Beachnana; 10-30-2014, 06:31 PM.

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                • #9
                  University Expenses

                  Whether your ex believes or not is irrelevant. He HAS to contribute to his childs post secondary education. He will be hard pressed to find a judge who WONT make him pay. And if it looks like hes going to balk, you remind him of his legal obligation and what is best for his child.

                  Jeez, heres my partner begging to be a part of his kids life, encouraging her to get the best university degree and fighting to pay his share quickly so kid doesnt have to worry and then theres dads like this!

                  Also, his portion isnt 1/3. Its the s7 % of the remaining 2/3. Plus, teach your kids to take responsibility and contribute. Its a good lesson that the best things in life are worth working for. Just about every one of my friends (save one or two) paid their way with lots of part time work and summer jobs. Theres no shame in it and she might learn a lot. Pay off a student loan when shes done instead.
                  Last edited by rockscan; 10-30-2014, 06:26 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Just about every one of my friends (save one or two) paid their way with lots of part time work and summer jobs. Theres no shame in it and she might learn a lot. Pay off a student loan when shes done instead.
                    As I said, my daughter will be expected to have a part-time job and contribute to buying books, lab fees, etc.

                    I have two children and did exactly the same thing with my first and intend to stay consistent.

                    There's no issue with my children having a problem understanding saving money and having a work ethic. My oldest does nothing but work but I paid her entire tuition when she was in school with caveats. She was required to keep up a certain grade-point average and follow the household rules. It wasn't about "shame"...my children think its shameful NOT to work, not the other way around. Its that I want her to concentrate solely on education and saving money for moving out of my house when they're done school.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by rockscan View Post
                      Whether your ex believes or not is irrelevant. He HAS to contribute to his childs post secondary education. He will be hard pressed to find a judge who WONT make him pay. And if it looks like hes going to balk, you remind him of his legal obligation and what is best for his child.

                      Jeez, heres my partner begging to be a part of his kids life, encouraging her to get the best university degree and fighting to pay his share quickly so kid doesnt have to worry and then theres dads like this!

                      Also, his portion isnt 1/3. Its the s7 % of the remaining 2/3. Plus, teach your kids to take responsibility and contribute. Its a good lesson that the best things in life are worth working for. Just about every one of my friends (save one or two) paid their way with lots of part time work and summer jobs. Theres no shame in it and she might learn a lot. Pay off a student loan when shes done instead.
                      The OP is saying she is worried ex would argue against paying for US tuition since it is more than what we have to pay for in Canada - not that he won't pay Canadian tuition. It makes sense it is a judgement call.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        So interesting how we reduce our childrens education down to what can I get my ex to agree to! Will the judge rule in my favour. Ask yourself this question. If we were in an intact relationship/ family what would the discussion and decision be be?
                        I actually won't be asking for his agreement. She'll make the decision over what school she goes to and it will get paid for.

                        At the end of the day, if he takes me to court and won, I'd simply pony up the money myself. I was just wondering if he'd have a case to argue the tuition costs.

                        If I was still married, he'd refuse to contribute and I'd be paying the money out of my own bank account. We would argue about it frequently and he'd talk about how useless and lazy our kid was and how I was squandering "our" hard earned money. My money was our money...his money was his money. Then after that and many other things got on my last frayed nerve, I'd ask him for a divorce. That's pretty much what happened with our first child.
                        Last edited by Pursuinghappiness; 10-30-2014, 11:10 PM.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          There are a number of schools in Michigan that offer work visas for students from Canada. If your daughters program allows for her to receive training that allows her to work in both countries its a benefit. Or if it allows her to work in the US on projects she wouldnt have an opportunity to do in canada its a benefit. (You alluded to the program which I took as scientific. There are a lot more opportunities and research programs in the states that Cdn degrees may not allow her to participate in.)

                          Most of the post sec and s7 cases Ive looked at on canlii over the last year have shown that the non paying parent had a hard time winning when the situation provided benefits to the child. The only one where the parent won was a case of an ex enrolling the kid in a private school only affordable because of the new partner. Judge threw out dads costs because it wasnt something they could afford while married.

                          Youve already said its a better opportunity, shes shown a willingness to contribute and an aptitude. In my opinion, your ex has little chance of getting away without paying anything. So I say open the lines of discussion when shes making plans and applying, keep all records of his unwillingness to work together, and if you can afford it (and want to) file the court papers to have his contribution paid. Again, just my opinion.

                          It sounds like he thinks now youre divorced he has zero responsibility and can say no whenever he wants because the divorce certificate gives him power he wanted while married. It doesnt work that way. Hes still responsible for his kids and now he has to answer to the court.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Pursuinghappiness View Post
                            I was just wondering if my ex could argue a cap on his 1/3 based on the amount of Canadian tuition.
                            I have read a case where one parent did just this. The child wanted to go to an expensive school out of the country. The parents had standard educations. The judge ruled that the ex only had to pay an amount equal to their proportional of what the education would have cost had the child gone to a Canadian University/College.

                            But even with that case, not all situations are the same. If you have two high income earners, it isn't outside the realm of possibility that a judge would rule the other way. Especially if the parents, or more particularly the parent challenging the costs, has the same or similar education.

                            Comment

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