While many parents think their child support should cover all expenses related to their child(ren), that is usually not the case. In addition to ordering child support, the Court usually requires both parents to contribute to the reasonable expenses for childcare, school, extracurricular activities, and healthcare.
More specifically, the Court has the discretion to order either or both parents to contribute to such expenses according to the following provisions, prorated in proportion to each parent’s combined net income:
- Childcare expenses which are reasonably necessary to enable a parent to be employed, attend school or training to improve employment opportunities, or search for employment.
- Reasonable school and extracurricular activity expenseswhich are intended to enhance the educational, athletic, social or cultural development of the child(ren).
- Reasonable healthcare needs of the child(ren) not covered by insurance, including but not limited to unreimbursed medical, psychiatric, dental, orthodontic, vision, and prescription medication. This is in addition to the cost of the health insurance premium attributable to the child(ren), which is factored into the child support obligation and prorated between the parents.
Many times, parents come to an agreement as to the specific expenses they will share in their marital settlement agreement or parentage agreement. For example, some parents only agree to contribute to extracurricular activities that they both agree to enroll the child in, or put a cap on the annual expenses or number of extracurricular activities they enroll the children in. Likewise, some parents agree to only cover unreimbursed medical expenses for in-network providers unless otherwise agreed to in advance. Additionally, some parents agree to use family to provide childcare in order to avoid childcare expenses.
It’s important to consult an attorney to ensure that the unique circumstances of your case are covered in your marital settlement or parentage agreement.