The alimony mainly reflects the obligation of parents to support their minor children after divorce, so in principle, the payment period of alimony is until the children become adults. The payment period of child care fees includes the principle period and special period:
1. Principle period: according to the meaning of adult children, the principle period is generally paid until the children are 18 years old. If a child is over 16 but under 18 years old, and his/her labor income is his/her main source of income, and can maintain the general local living standard, his/her parents can also stop paying childcare fees. That is, under the age of 16, parents must pay alimony. If they are over the age of 16 but under the age of 18, they will pay alimony as the case may be. If they are over the age of 18, they will no longer pay alimony.
2. Special period: In some special cases, although the child is an adult, if the parents can afford it, they still have to bear the maintenance fees. The termination period depends on the specific circumstances, including the following three cases:
(1) Adult children lose their ability to work or their income is not enough to support themselves although they have not completely lost their ability to work;
(2) Adult children are still in school;
(3) Adult children do not have the ability and conditions to live. If a child has one of the above special circumstances, the parents who can afford it still have to bear the maintenance fees, which is also to reasonably safeguard the interests of the child. After all, in real life, the child just went to college at the age of 18, which is the time when he needs money. If the parents of the child divorced when the child was young, the alimony determined according to the living standard at that time cannot meet the needs of college life. Another example is that some special children, who are physically disabled or autistic, may not be able to live independently all their lives. This situation cannot stop paying maintenance fees because they are adults, which also reflects the fairness and justice of the law.
