Is Emancipation Required?

[Emerence]

Im 17 years old, and a junior in high school. I will turn 18 in July, and in August I am planning on moving in with my boyfriend and his roommate, and since they live in a different town, I am also going to be changing schools. Now I thought I had everything figured out (finances, car insurance, etc.) but I was recently told by someone that I will not be able to move out when Im 18 because I will still be in high school. I have nothing against my mom, or my stepdad with whom I live with.. (my father lives in Tennessee with my stepmom).. but I am dead set on moving out when I turn 18, but now it just totally confuses me now that someone brought up the subject of not being able to unless I emancipate myself. So can someone please help me? I have no idea what to look for on the internet or who to ask about this subject..

[rmet4nzkx]

Im 17 years old, and a junior in high school. I will turn 18 in July, and in August I am planning on moving in with my boyfriend and his roommate, and since they live in a different town, I am also going to be changing schools. Now I thought I had everything figured out (finances, car insurance, etc.) but I was recently told by someone that I will not be able to move out when Im 18 because I will still be in high school. I have nothing against my mom, or my stepdad with whom I live with.. (my father lives in Tennessee with my stepmom).. but I am dead set on moving out when I turn 18, but now it just totally confuses me now that someone brought up the subject of not being able to unless I emancipate myself. So can someone please help me? I have no idea what to look for on the internet or who to ask about this subject..

Are you planning on emancipating yourself by marriage and are you planning on your father no longer contributing child support? With both your parents permission you can live elsewhere but it sounds like you are not ready for emancipation because you will have another year of high school to complete and the chances of living arrangements working out with your boyfriend for that whole school year or longer is very low unless you were planning on getting married.

[Emerence]

Yes we are planning on getting married. The summer after I graduate. Which would be 2008.

[Mr. Knowitall]

I suspect that you are conflating two separate issues, reaching the age of majority and emancipation for the purpose of child support. Indiana child support orders typically continue to the age of 21. But if you move out of the home of a parent who is receiving child support and establish your own independent residence, the parent who is paying the child support can petition to terminate the support payments. The age of majority in Indiana for purposes other than child support is 18.

[rmet4nzkx]

Yes we are planning on getting married. The summer after I graduate. Which would be 2008.

That is different than getting married when you turn 18 and then living together as man and wife, having a third wheel living with a couple can cause lots of problems especially when it comes to having privacy and you concentrating on your school work so you can graduate. You need to think long and hard re the consequences of emancipation. A lot can change in that year that you can't see now.

[Emerence]

What Im really asking in this question basically.. is that when I turn 18, will I have reached the age of majority to where my parents cannot stop me from moving out, even though I still have my senior year left??

I dont really care about the child support that my dad pays now. He can stop paying then if he wants, it never really bothered me. It really doesnt at all.

I just want to know whether or not by law if Im going to be able to move out on my own when I turn 18.

[Mr. Knowitall]

That's what it means to reach the age of majority. You get to take charge of your own life.