Many people assume that once the child reached college age, the trials and tribulations are over. But, when it's time for college the filing of financial aid package and grant applications require disclosure of parental assets. The unanswered question is who's assets count. In some homes Pandora's Box is opened by this need for finacial disclosure. When the parents are divorced and remarried finnancial aid wants everyones' 1040.
Some schools give advice to children on how to handle the situation.
For example, the state of Colorado addresses post-secondary education, requiring both parents to contribute a sum towards college to be determined by the courts. However, most States don't have a remedy for children. For example the State of Nebraska makes no mention of post-secondary education. The child now has to come up with tuition on his or her own for a college education. The financial aid office in the local university needs the forms filled out before any finacial aid or grants will be given.