Sec. 46b-56c. Educational support orders.
Sec. 46b-56c. Educational support orders. (a) For purposes of this section, an
educational support order is an order entered by a court requiring a parent to provide
support for a child or children to attend for up to a total of four full academic years an
institution of higher education or a private occupational school for the purpose of attaining a bachelor's or other undergraduate degree, or other appropriate vocational instruction. An educational support order may be entered with respect to any child who
has not attained twenty-three years of age and shall terminate not later than the date on
which the child attains twenty-three years of age.
(b) (1) On motion or petition of a parent, the court may enter an educational support
order at the time of entry of a decree of dissolution, legal separation or annulment,
and no educational support order may be entered thereafter unless the decree explicitly
provides that a motion or petition for an educational support order may be filed by either
parent at a subsequent date. If no educational support order is entered at the time of
entry of a decree of dissolution, legal separation or annulment, and the parents have a
child who has not attained twenty-three years of age, the court shall inform the parents
that no educational support order may be entered thereafter. The court may accept a
parent's waiver of the right to file a motion or petition for an educational support order
upon a finding that the parent fully understands the consequences of such waiver.
(2) On motion or petition of a parent, the court may enter an educational support
order at the time of entry of an order for support pendente lite pursuant to section 46b-83.
(3) On motion or petition of a parent, the court may enter an educational support
order at the time of entering an order of support pursuant to section 46b-61 or 46b-171
or similar section of the general statutes, or at any time thereafter.
(4) On motion or petition of a parent, the court may enter an educational support
order at the time of entering an order pursuant to any other provision of the general
statutes authorizing the court to make an order of support for a child, subject to the
provisions of sections 46b-212 to 46b-213v, inclusive.
(c) The court may not enter an educational support order pursuant to this section
unless the court finds as a matter of fact that it is more likely than not that the parents
would have provided support to the child for higher education or private occupational
school if the family were intact. After making such finding, the court, in determining
whether to enter an educational support order, shall consider all relevant circumstances,
including: (1) The parents' income, assets and other obligations, including obligations
to other dependents; (2) the child's need for support to attend an institution of higher
education or private occupational school considering the child's assets and the child's
ability to earn income; (3) the availability of financial aid from other sources, including
grants and loans; (4) the reasonableness of the higher education to be funded considering
the child's academic record and the financial resources available; (5) the child's preparation for, aptitude for and commitment to higher education; and (6) evidence, if any, of
the institution of higher education or private occupational school the child would attend.
(d) At the appropriate time, both parents shall participate in, and agree upon, the
decision as to which institution of higher education or private occupational school the
child will attend. The court may make an order resolving the matter if the parents fail
to reach an agreement.
(e) To qualify for payments due under an educational support order, the child must
(1) enroll in an accredited institution of higher education or private occupational school,
as defined in section 10a-22a, (2) actively pursue a course of study commensurate with
the child's vocational goals that constitutes at least one-half the course load determined
by that institution or school to constitute full-time enrollment, (3) maintain good academic standing in accordance with the rules of the institution or school, and (4) make
available all academic records to both parents during the term of the order. The order
shall be suspended after any academic period during which the child fails to comply
with these conditions.
(f) The educational support order may include support for any necessary educational
expense, including room, board, dues, tuition, fees, registration and application costs,
but such expenses shall not be more than the amount charged by The University of
Connecticut for a full-time in-state student at the time the child for whom educational
support is being ordered matriculates, except this limit may be exceeded by agreement
of the parents. An educational support order may also include the cost of books and
medical insurance for such child.
(g) The court may direct that payments under an educational support order be made
(1) to a parent to be forwarded to the institution of higher education or private occupational school, (2) directly to the institution or school, or (3) otherwise as the court determines to be appropriate.
(h) On motion or petition of a parent, an educational support order may be modified
or enforced in the same manner as is provided by law for any support order.
(i) This section does not create a right of action by a child for parental support for
higher education.
(j) An educational support order under this section does not include support for
graduate or postgraduate education beyond a bachelor's degree.
(k) The provisions of this section shall apply only in cases when the initial order
for parental support of the child is entered on or after October 1, 2002.
(P.A. 02-128, S. 1.)
Although trial court failed to make necessary finding that it was more likely than not that parties would have provided
support for their daughter's college education had the family remained intact, its failure to comply with section was
harmless, given ample evidence in the record to support such a finding, and given plaintiff's failure to meet his burden of
demonstrating that court's failure to make the finding was harmful. 96 CA 102. Trial court did not abuse its discretion by
issuing financial order that would secure any educational support order that might be entered in future. However, portion
of trial court order, that potentially would have required defendant to maintain life insurance to secure support for child
who had reached age of majority and who was not beneficiary of an educational support order, reversed and remanded for
clarification. 107 CA 279.
Subsec. (b):
Subdiv. (1): Use of "shall" means it is mandatory that court inform parents that if no educational support order is entered
at the time of dissolution neither party may obtain such an order in future. 86 CA 719.
Subsec. (h):
Contrary to plaintiff's claims, because, pursuant to this Subsec. an educational support order may be enforced in same
manner as provided by law for any support order, trial court had authority to enforce the order by requiring that security
be given, it acted within its discretion and authority in establishing a trust as means of securing the order, and did not abuse
its discretion in funding the order with proceeds from sale of Vermont property. 96 CA 102.