Family Law — Child Support
Child Support for Adult Children in Israel
When It Continues and When It Ends
Many parents assume child support ends automatically at 18. In Israel, it does not. Adv. Liron Elmaliach advises parents on when support can be terminated and how to apply to the court to end the obligation.
Israeli Law on Child Support Beyond Age 18
Under Jewish law — which governs child support obligations for Jewish parents in Israel — the mandatory (d'orayta or d'rabbanan) obligation to pay child support ends when a child reaches 18. This is the baseline rule under the Rabbinical Courts Jurisdiction (Marriage and Divorce) Law and the approach applied by Israeli family courts.
In practice, however, Israeli family courts exercise broad discretion to extend support beyond 18 when the circumstances justify it — most commonly for children pursuing higher education. The court will examine the child's needs, the financial capacity of each parent, and the lifestyle the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact.
A note on Sephardic versus Ashkenazic practice: historically, different halachic traditions applied different standards for child support (the Nafka Mina debate). Modern Israeli family courts, however, apply a unified statutory standard that largely overrides these distinctions — the child's best interests and the financial realities of both parents are the decisive factors.
If a child over 18 is enrolled in a recognised academic programme and making genuine progress, the court may extend support for the duration of the degree — typically two to four years depending on the field of study. The extension is not automatic and requires a court order; it will not be granted if the child is studying casually or has abandoned their degree without good reason.
Cutting Off Support for an Independent or Employed Adult Child
A child who is employed full-time, lives independently, and earns enough to cover their own needs presents strong grounds for terminating child support. Israeli courts focus on whether the child is genuinely self-sufficient — not just on age. If your adult child has left the family home, supports themselves financially, and has no continuing educational needs, the legal justification for ongoing support is weak.
Children performing compulsory military service (sherut sadir) occupy a special category. The IDF provides housing, meals, clothing, and a monthly stipend — which courts treat as meeting the child's basic needs during service. Most family courts will reduce or suspend support during compulsory service, though each case is assessed individually. Reserve duty (miluim) does not have the same effect.
To terminate support, the paying parent must file a formal application with the family court that issued the original order. The court will not terminate support retroactively — meaning that even if your child became independent months ago, you cannot recover payments already made. This is why it is important to act promptly once the grounds for termination arise.
Adv. Liron Elmaliach can assess your specific situation, advise whether the grounds for termination are strong, and represent you in the family court application — giving you the best chance of ending the obligation cleanly and without unnecessary delay.
Frequently Asked Questions — Child Support for Adult Children
Answers to the most common questions about ending child support in Israel
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Jerusalem · Family Law · Child Support for Adult Children