598.21F Postsecondary education subsidy.
1. Order of subsidy. The court may order a postsecondary education subsidy if good cause is shown.
2. Criteria for good cause. In determining whether good cause exists for ordering a postsecondary education subsidy, the court shall consider the age of the child, the ability of the child relative to postsecondary education, the child’s financial resources, whether the child is self-sustaining, and the financial condition of each parent. If the court determines that good cause is shown for ordering a postsecondary education subsidy, the court shall determine the amount of subsidy as follows:
a. The court shall determine the cost of postsecondary education based upon the cost of attending an in-state public institution for a course of instruction leading to an undergraduate degree and shall include the reasonable costs for only necessary postsecondary education expenses.
b. The court shall then determine the amount, if any, which the child may reasonably be expected to contribute, considering the child’s financial resources, including but not limited to the availability of financial aid whether in the form of scholarships, grants, or student loans, and the ability of the child to earn income while attending school.
c. The child’s expected contribution shall be deducted from the cost of postsecondary education and the court shall apportion responsibility for the remaining cost of postsecondary education to each parent. The amount paid by each parent shall not exceed thirty-three and one-third percent of the total cost of postsecondary education.
3. Subsidy payable. A postsecondary education subsidy shall be payable to the child, to the educational institution, or to both, but shall not be payable to the custodial parent.
4. Repudiation by child. A postsecondary education subsidy shall not be awarded if the child has repudiated the parent by publicly disowning the parent, refusing to acknowledge the parent, or by acting in a similar manner.
5. Obligations of child. The child shall forward, to each parent, reports of grades awarded at the completion of each academic session within ten days of receipt of the reports. Unless otherwise specified by the parties, a postsecondary education subsidy awarded by the court shall be terminated upon the child’s completion of the first calendar year of course instruction if the child fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average in the median range or above during that first calendar year.
6. Application. A support order, decree, or judgment entered or pending before July 1, 1997, that provides for support of a child for college, university, or community college expenses may be modified in accordance with this section.
7. Necessary content of order. Orders made pursuant to this section need mention only those factors relevant to the particular case for which the orders are made but shall contain the names, birth dates, addresses, and counties of residence of the petitioner and respondent.
2005 Acts, ch 69, §44; 2006 Acts, ch 1030, §73
Referred to in §598.20, 598.22, 600.11
Structure Iowa Code
Title XV - JUDICIAL BRANCH AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURES
Chapter 598 - DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Section 598.2 - Jurisdiction and venue.
Section 598.2A - Choice of law.
Section 598.3 - Kind of action — joinder.
Section 598.4 - Caption of petition for dissolution.
Section 598.5 - Contents of petition — verification — evidence.
Section 598.6 - Additional contents.
Section 598.8 - Hearings — exceptions.
Section 598.9 - Residence — failure of proof.
Section 598.10 - Temporary orders.
Section 598.11 - How temporary order made — changes — retroactive modification.
Section 598.12 - Guardian ad litem for minor child.
Section 598.12A - Attorney for minor child.
Section 598.12B - Child custody investigators and child and family reporters.
Section 598.13 - Financial statements filed.
Section 598.14A - Retroactive modification of temporary support order.
Section 598.14B - Child visitation — temporary custody orders.
Section 598.15 - Mandatory course — parties to certain proceedings.
Section 598.16 - Conciliation — domestic relations divisions.
Section 598.17 - Dissolution of marriage — evidence.
Section 598.18 - Recrimination not a bar to dissolution of marriage.
Section 598.19 - Waiting period before decree.
Section 598.19A - Mandatory course — parties to certain proceedings.
Section 598.20 - Forfeiture of marital rights.
Section 598.20A - Beneficiary revocation — life insurance.
Section 598.20B - Beneficiary revocation — other contracts.
Section 598.21 - Orders for disposition of property.
Section 598.21A - Orders for spousal support.
Section 598.21B - Orders for child support and medical support.
Section 598.21C - Modification of child, spousal, or medical support orders.
Section 598.21D - Relocation of parent as grounds to modify order of child custody.
Section 598.21E - Contesting paternity to challenge child support order.
Section 598.21F - Postsecondary education subsidy.
Section 598.21G - Minor parent — parenting classes.
Section 598.22A - Satisfaction of support payments.
Section 598.22B - Information required in order or judgment.
Section 598.22C - Child support — social security disability dependent benefits.
Section 598.22D - Separate fund or conservatorship for support.
Section 598.23 - Contempt proceedings — alternatives to jail sentence.
Section 598.24 - Costs if party is in default or contempt.
Section 598.25 - Parties and court granting marriage dissolution decree — notice.
Section 598.26 - Record — impounding — violation indictable.
Section 598.28 - Separate maintenance and annulment.
Section 598.29 - Annulling illegal marriage — causes.
Section 598.30 - Validity determined.
Section 598.31 - Children — legitimacy.
Section 598.32 - Annulment — compensation.
Section 598.33 - Order to vacate.
Section 598.34 - Recipients of public assistance — assignment of support payments.
Section 598.35 - Grandparent — great-grandparent — visitation rights.
Section 598.36 - Attorney fees in proceeding to modify order or decree.
Section 598.41 - Custody of children.
Section 598.41A - Visitation — history of crimes against a minor.
Section 598.41B - Visitation — restrictions — murder of parent.
Section 598.41C - Modification of child custody or physical care — active duty.
Section 598.42 - Notice of certain orders by clerk of court.