What is child support intended to be used for?

Parents may wonder what the child support they pay, or receive, is intended to be used for. Child support is intended to serve several purposes and to ensure the child is cared for. Children have the right to be financially supported by both of their parents.

What are the intended uses of child support?

Child support is generally intended to cover the basic needs of the child. The basic needs of the child are considered the child’s food, housing and clothing. Child support is likely also considered to be for a broader ranges of expenses such as:

• basic necessities
• medical care
• educational fees
• childcare
• transportation and travel costs
• entertainment expenses
• extracurricular activities
• college expenses

Parents are also typically required to carry some type of medical care insurance for the child and it may fall to the parent with a better employer-sponsored medical care plan to provide medical care insurance for the child. Child support can also be used to pay for extraordinary medical costs which can include out-of-pocket medical care costs not paid for by an insurance plan such as co-pays, deductibles and some other expenses. It can be used for braces, casts, eyeglasses and other special healthcare costs. Some parents may have an agreement concerning extracurricular medical care costs.

Child support is an important part of the any divorce settlement and parents should understand what it is supposed to be used for. The family law legal process can help parents understand and navigate any and all of their child support questions and concerns.