How old do you have to be to move out in Missouri if you have a very manipulative father willing to do anything that he can to keep you in his custody and you will be 17 in the next month?

Answer 1

Choosing to make it on your own at a young age should be a last resort. If you are in an abusive or neglectful household, something needs to be done about it and moving out might be a great option. Or, maybe you're better off in Foster Care. It's hard to say without the details of your situation.

Regardless of your personal situation -- and before you make a decision --anyone considering going out on his/her own at a young age needs to find a responsible, caring and trustworthy adult with whom you can discuss the situation and seek guidance. That person might be another family member, a school counselor, someone at your church, a bff's parent(s), etc. And if there is simply no one you can trust, look up the phone number for a "family law attorney" and call. Tell them what you need and someone will help (for free).

More comments:

To move out of your house without parental consent, your choices are limited -- but there are ways to do it legally and without risk of ending up in trouble as a "run-away".

You may have heard about becoming "emancipated" which means the court declares you to be a legal adult before you reach the age of majority. In Missouri, 18 is the age of majority. Technically, a minor can be declared emancipated in one of three ways:

1) Your parents give express consent to a court that they are waiving their parental rights;

2) Your parents are deemed to give implied consent. For example, if you've already been living on your own, supporting yourself, getting an education, and staying out of trouble -- and you're doing it on your own -- a court will likely deem that your parents consented to your emancipation by implication; or

3) There is a significant change in your social status, such as an enlistment in the military or marriage (which requires parental consent if you are 17 or younger, in most states).

You'll notice -- if you read closely -- that for the implied consent option (#2), the minor has already been living on their own. Most kids want to know how to make that happen, and, in fact, that is most often how a minor becomes emancipated. One other legal note: Most kids who move out before reaching the age of majority are never given consent, and never get a formal declaration of emancipation from the courts. They just do it.