What it is: the legal process by which a minor becomes legally independent of their parents/guardians before turning 18.
What this means for you: emancipation before the age of majority is not automatic — it requires court approval. Once a child is emancipated, child support and the parenting obligations generally end (except for previously agreed items like college expenses).
How it happens: usually by court order, or automatically when a minor marries, joins the military, or (in some contexts) becomes self-supporting. It is comparatively rare.
Watch out for: a teenager “moving out” or “not listening” is not emancipation. Until a court says so, the support and parenting orders stand.
