Paying for 25 year old child

Spendless

foolofbeans wrote: »

I found out recently that once a student is 25 they automatically qualify as an independent student and their loan amount is calculated on their income, not their parents.
Sadly it turns out that child turns 25 one week after the qualifying date and so we will have to declare our income to student finance again.

But frankly I really begrudge having to subsidise a 25 year old. I feel like we have assisted a lot already and it has impacted on the things we can afford for our other children and I was hoping we were done with it.

There is an expectation from the govt that we will assist but should a parent have to fund a 25 year old.

I'd love to hear some views on how we should approach this.

The Government defines the qualifying date as being 25 before the 1st September. On 1st Sept you have a 24yo. Yes, it's frustrating that they miss the cut off date, because they turn 25 a week later, but there has to be one somewhere.

So what practically can you do. How much is your daughter's maintenance loan? How much does she need to pay out for accommodation? Can she realistically live on her loan plus any wages? Is the University close enough to live at home and commute?

marliepanda

andydownes123 wrote: »

You have two options:

1) Convince 25 year old to get a job whilst at university to subsidise income.
2) Get child to officially disown you. Then they can be classed as independant.

And for future reference, get child to work like mad in the summer leading up to uni to put enough away for the year.

That is incredibly difficult to do. A friend of mine was thrown out of her parents house (they called the police to remove them but, that kind of melodramatics was normal) and lived with their grandparents, yet still couldnt claim they were independent. Then once they were told they couldnt claim independence, they had to beg their mother to fill in the forms for student finance (low income family) and she refused. Even THEN they couldnt claim independence!

You can't just say 'oh Ive disowned them' when theyve been living with/being paid by up until what I assume is now. Theyw ouldnt be able to go visit them on holidays, they would have to literally cut them off and even then, probably wouldnt class as it.

To claim independence before 25 you have to literally be, and have been, independent for a lot longer than the week before your 25th birthday.

annandale

What is the sum of money you will be expected to give? I find this a bit odd tbh. You sound as if you resent the fact that your child has been able to go on holiday every year. Buy stuff and go to festivals. If this was with your money surely you had the option to say no.

Surely they can also get part time work to top up their student loan

As someone else said you are only looking at one years funding as they'll be 25 next year.

pimento

It's outrageous that parents are still expected to support someone as old as 25. Considering that you're an adult to all intents and purposes when you're 21.

annandale

They don't apply if someone is under 25 and has supported themselves financially for the previous three years I believe. The difference between the largest amount of bursary that could be given and the biggest loan and parents having to contribute the difference is slightly less than 3k and that's for a family who earn over 34k compared to a family on low income. That's in Scotland but assume it will be similar elsewhere. If you cant afford that then a part time job should make up the difference.

Just because someone is 21 doesn't make them automatically financially independent

pimento

annandale wrote: »

They don't apply if someone is under 25 and has supported themselves financially for the previous three years I believe. The difference between the largest amount of bursary that could be given and the biggest loan and parents having to contribute the difference is slightly less than 3k and that's for a family who earn over 34k compared to a family on low income. That's in Scotland but assume it will be similar elsewhere. If you cant afford that then a part time job should make up the difference.

Just because someone is 21 doesn't make them automatically financially independent

So by that token, a parent might be expected to financially support a 50 year old if they live at home?

Rosemary7391

annandale wrote: »

Surely they can also get part time work to top up their student loan

This might not be possible depending on the course during term time. We were only permitted I think 6 hours per week.



I'd certainly not have been happy at having that dropped on me at the end of the holidays when I could've made different spending choices over the previous summer, rented a cheaper place for the upcoming year and/or taken on less responsibility in societies to leave room for more paid work. I think you're stuck with it this year OP, but why not have a chat with them and see how they feel about living on less. They might be okay with it? None of us can see their budget...

PasturesNew

If you drop out now it might amplify any feelings of "rejection" they had ... leading to a life of poor choices and poor outcomes. Support your child for just one more year, get them started in life and then you can freely wash your hands of financial involvement, knowing you "did your best" instead of tripping them up at the last hurdle.

TBagpuss

So, they started late through no fault of their own, you've told them in the past that you would support them, and they have worked hard and earned money, and appear to then have managed their budget so they have been able to afford some fun stuff as well.

t doesn't sound as though they have been irresponsible or unreasonable in any way, so it feels very harsh to pull support at the last minute.

have your circumstances changed since they started their course? If you've had something such as a redundancy or sickness which means you are in a worse financial position than you reasonably expected to be when you agreed to provide them with support, then I don't think that it would be unreasonable to have that conversation with them, and see whether you can work something out (maybe provide support for the first term, on the understanding that they will aim to get a part time job to boost their income and have you provide less support in the later terms.

It might be more reasonable to let them know that it is difficult and that you may need to reduce your support going forward - e.g. that next year, when they are 25, you won't be able to help as you understand that they should qualify for support.

If My view might be different if it weren't for this part e

I have always told the children we would support them while they are in education

If you genuinely feel you can't afford it, then sit down and discuss it with them, but be open about why .Who knows, they might be able to suggest ways you can cut costs or adjust your budget - it sounds as though they have been managing their money fairly well!

Ames

What year are they in? Having to take a second job could affect their grades, which would have longstanding implications if it's an important year.