Can I move out at the age of 18 while I'm still in high school?

laurencastro33

Hello I wanted some legal advice or any advice about the topic I'm about to say
I'm in a situation where since I was in the 6th grade where I wanted out of my parents house hold. It's has always been loud house and crazy house and not the good kind of crazy. It's gotten to the point where I didn't feel safe in my house and wanted to leave so bad just to get away from my parents and their strict rules. I understand parents have standards and rules and I'm completely okay with that. But the rules my parents put up are so outragies! I'm 17 years old and I'm a junior and can't even be be aloud to go out nor express who I truly am. (Side note// I'm an A&B student and I've never gotten in trouble where the police where involved or in school so don't think my parents don't trust me because I have never given them a reason not to) Just Imagine having to put a fake wall up from the two people who have known you your whole life and not being able to do that. Now for the real question I'm gonna be 18 next year, and I'll still be in high school I've been planning to actually leave but I'm planning a year ahead. I have a job that pays really well and I've been saving till the move. Me and my bestfriend were originally gonna move in together after high school ( I just recently moved to a different city and she lives 4 hours away) but we talked to her parents about me moving in my senior year and they understand how my parents are and they said till closer to the date they'll decide but I've known them since I was 12 so I trust them , and I offered to help pay for my stay of course.
I've done my research on this and in my county I can enroll myself in my high school I just need my social card and my shot records. Which is no big deal but I want to know if my parents can stop me from doing this. There's is no talking sense with my parents with me moving out in high school or being civil with this I already know there will be conflict and that's why I've done so much research on how to leave and what to do. But I'm still on the edge but I know for a fact I can't live here anymore and it's driving me away from my parents. I under I'm in for a rude awakening but if you were in my shoes you would do the same.

DasUberEdward

Is there any reason you would not consider finishing your last year of high school and moving out for college once you turn 18?

Enc

Can you be an emancipated teen at 18? It will depend upon your state and county.

Can you survive and make rent while continuing High School? Yeah, but not in a way that will make your parent's rules seem worse.

• High school take 3/4ths of the work day, so you will have to work nights WHILE finding time for your homework and lessons.
• You will need to work likely 40+ hours a week a slightly above minimum wage just to make rent plus all the assorted costs related to living on your own.
• You will need to own your own car and have insurance upon it to make it to class and work.
• You will need to find someone to cosign your loan that has considerable credit, which I am assuming isn't your parents. Very few reputable living places will rent to you as you don't have credit (or, worse, perhaps have bad credit if you have a lot of credit card debt). You will also need a considerable amount for first month's rent, last month's rent, and security deposit (~$2-3k) down before moving in.
• You will need money for furniture. Beds don't come with apartments.
• Monthly survival costs (the hidden costs of living on your own) usually are about $100-200 a month. This is the money you need for things like laundry detergent, fixing a flat tire, buying a pot to cool ramen with, etc. This doesn't count the money you will need for groceries.
• Average utilities in your area are something to consider as well. How much is the apartment's electric, water, garbage, and sewer costs? Best start planning for those now.
• How will you save for college with this circumstance? Is that something you will want to have a more solid career long-term?
• How will you build your extra-curriculars for college? Most entrance requirements want things like volunteer work, high-school sports/band/club activities, etc. If you are working 40+ hours to meet your rent and living expenses, will you have time to do these other things?

If your parents are physically abusing you, some of these may be mitigated by shelters for child abuse in your area. If your parents are just strict, you are essentially tossing all the advantages you have as a person entering adulthood out by bailing from a stable living place with parents that are willing to support a college career.

We don't know how bad your situation is. It could be horrific, justifying the dark, and incredibly tiring and handicapping path of running away at 18 as an emancipated youth. But understand that this will, at minimum, set you up to work retail/service industry positions for 3-7 years longer than your peers as you will lose the ability to easily pay for college or save living expenses money to help pay for college.

ceres

There are organizations out there that can give you legal advice on this and even advocate for you; we really aren't equipped to do so, and even if we were we don't know the first thing about you, your parents, or your situation in general.

Your best bet is going to be to do some research on organizations in your area to find out what you need and if you qualify for assistance.