What are parents obligated to pay for non-emancipated minors?

[John Alias]

I am 16, living with a 17 year old brother. We are not emancipated. We are junior university students in California (we completed the CHSPE to skip high school). We are in a weird spot where our mother does not want to fully pay for our tuition or medical bills; I broke my arm and have yet to pay a bill around 1000 dollars. Our father, who is married to our mother, has not really commented on the situation. Nothing really has been done aside from a few lengthy text messages containing the "agreement." I understand that it is likely that nothing said is legally binding, but we anticipate that she will attempt to make it so.

She said that she will cover half of our room and board living costs, but we must pay for every other bill that comes our way. She says she will loan money we need at a prime rate, which needs to be payed in full once we have a full-time job.

I'm fairly certain that, as a non-emancipated minor, she is obligated to cover my medical bills. However, I'm not sure about other costs like food/water, tuition, etc.

Right now, our tentative plan is to get a part-time job and delay getting a full-time job so we can get a full time job once we have gained enough money to make the debt more manageable. We also think that our father(who still thinks of this whole thing as another one of our mother's tantrums) would likely be willing to pay off/help pay off the loan if it gets to that point, but we are not counting on it.

My brother has worked a part-time job before but I have not. We are clueless on the details of this whole issue and hoped for some guidance.

 

[army judge]

I am 16, living with a 17 year old brother. We are not emancipated.

You and your sibling are SIMPLY, minors.

Its redundant and unnecessary to use the term "UNEMANCIPATED MINOR".

If you and your brother squeak, gobble, whine, bark, and/or growl too loudly or to the wrong person, your entire family could end up in the cross hairs and grasp of "The Center for Families, Children & the Courts (CFCC)" which works to improve court proceedings and outcomes for children, youth, families, and victims involved in juvenile delinquency and dependency proceedings.

Your parental units might ALREADY have run a foul of various CA state laws by taking you and your brother off the "parental leash", so to speak.

Juvenile Law - CFCC

I suggest you and your brother speak at length IN PERSON about your ISSUES with your female and male parental units!

If this issues fester and grows, law enforcement MIGHT get involved.

Good luck.

 

[John Alias]

Thank you for the response.

We are trying to resolve this issue without breaking up the family too much. Going to a court would be a last resort (e.g. we are on the edge of homelessness). We upset our mom and she wants us to become more independent, and that I can understand. Her stance on our independence will likely mellow in time and we are just preparing for the worst.

If we eventually go to a court, what are the possible outcomes? Could our parents be jailed/fined? And what of our outstanding debts?

If we attempt to resolve this without a court, are there any bills our parents are not obligated to pay?

 

[adjusterjack]

Are your parents divorced, separated, living apart, hostile to each other, etc?

 

[John Alias]

They are not hostile to each other, and are married.

 

[Red Kayak]

We are trying to resolve this issue without breaking up the family too much. Going to a court would be a last resort (e.g. we are on the edge of homelessness).

If you are on the verge of homelessness, I'd say the ship has sailed on "breaking up the family."

YOU, as a minor, really can't take anything to court. Heck, you can't even sign a contract.

However, I disagree with Army Judge about having an in person conversation with the parental units. Your parents aren't acting like normal parents. I'm saying this as a parent whose kid at your age lived away at school.

I think that you need to talk to a social worker to get an idea of what your options are. I think you are being neglected at the very least. Report Child Abuse

I don't get a flip what happens to your parents, but I suspect than rather than jail they are more likely to face court ordered payments.

 

[adjusterjack]

Your parents are probably legally obligated to pay your medical bills. Aren't you on their medical insurance as dependents?

I know CA has some really strange laws but I cannot imagine that they are legally obliged to pay for you and your brother to go to university and live away from home.

I think, if you want to resolve this properly, the two of you go back and live at home and go to a local college where they could be more inclined to support you.

It's commendable that you two geniuses qualified to skip high school and go right to college. Maybe that gave you a sense of entitlement where you want what you want when you want it and the heck with anybody else's needs. Selfish twits.

Your parents are right to protect their own resources and limit their financial exposure.

If you want the independence of going away to college then accept the independence of figuring out how to pay for it.

If you end up in court over this, you are going to lose.

If you can't pay your own way, you won't be homeless. You have a home---at your parents' house.

 

[adjusterjack]

Your parents aren't acting like normal parents. I'm saying this as a parent whose kid at your age lived away at school.

Yes, they are normal parents. I'm saying this as a parent whose deal with my daughter was live at home and go to local university and I'd pay for her car and all her expenses. Worked out fine.

 

[Tax Counsel]

I am 16, living with a 17 year old brother. We are not emancipated. We are junior university students in California (we completed the CHSPE to skip high school). We are in a weird spot where our mother does not want to fully pay for our tuition or medical bills; I broke my arm and have yet to pay a bill around 1000 dollars.

The most common rule in the U.S. is that parents are obligated to pay for any contract of the minor that the parent guaranteed and are obligated to pay for certain necessities for the child (e.g. food, healthcare, etc.) College tuition is not a necessity and in most states the parents are under no obligation to pay for that unless they guaranteed the contract with the school. That said CA is a state that considers itself very progressive and adopts laws most other states would not consider. I have not yet looked to see if CA has adopted a rule different from most other states, but it's at least a very real possibility. Are your parents also living in CA? That matters as to what state's law will apply. Does the university you are attending have a legal aid clinic for students? If it does, that would be a good place to start for answers. There are also legal aid clinics for the general public, too, located around the state.

 

[Red Kayak]

Yes, they are normal parents. I'm saying this as a parent whose deal with my daughter was live at home and go to local university and I'd pay for her car and all her expenses. Worked out fine.

Normal parents realize that they are responsible for their MINOR child's medical care.

 

[adjusterjack]

Normal parents realize that they are responsible for their MINOR child's medical care.

I said that. Did you miss it?

Your parents are probably legally obligated to pay your medical bills. Aren't you on their medical insurance as dependents?