(opinion) What Wyoming Parents Need To Know About Post-majority Child Support

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Post-majority child support questions are increasingly common in Wyoming divorce cases as parents and courts grapple with when a child’s legal obligation to receive support should end. While most states, including Wyoming, generally terminate child support at the age of majority, exceptions — especially for students and for adults with disabilities — create important distinctions that divorcing parents must address when negotiating decrees.

Most states, and Wyoming in particular, end child support when a child reaches adulthood, typically 18, though support often continues through high school graduation if the child remains enrolled. Under Wyoming law, a support obligation may extend to age 20 when the child is attending high school or an equivalent full-time program, per Wyo. Stat. § 14-2-204(a)(iii).

Support can also continue past 18 if the child is physically disabled and incapable of self-support. Parents may contract in a divorce decree to continue support after the age of majority; for example, for post high school education. However, any post-majority educational provisions should be drafted with specificity — defining duration, types of institutions covered, and monetary caps — to avoid later litigation.

The Wyoming Supreme Court recently addressed some of these issues in Merrick v. Causey, 2026 WY 60 (June 2026). The question was whether post-majority support was warranted where the adult child had physical or mental impairments. The district court concluded the child was capable of self-support, and the Supreme Court affirmed. The court relied heavily on the adult child’s testimony showing receipt of Social Security Disability benefits, computer literacy, plans to attend college, and demonstrated independent living skills: self-care, medication management, and financial account maintenance. Based on those facts, the court found no basis to extend support past the age of majority.

By contrast, a minority of states provide broader post-majority support for education or delay termination to older ages: Connecticut permits educational support orders for up to four academic years or until age 23, while Missouri may extend support until age 21 if statutory educational requirements are met.

Given the variability across jurisdictions and the potential for disputes after a decree is entered, divorcing parents in Wyoming should carefully consider whether to include post-majority support terms and, if so, draft them with particularity. Courts will examine the child’s actual capabilities and evidence of dependency when deciding whether to enforce or terminate obligations. Clear, precise drafting at the time of divorce can prevent costly, emotionally fraught litigation later and ensure parental intentions are honored.

P. Craig Silva is the current president of the Wyoming State Bar. He has practiced law for almost 30 years, and now exclusively represents clients in the federal court in Wyoming.