Child Support Expenses

 Posted on October 20, 2017 in Child Support

When some people think about child support expenses, they only consider the costs related to providing food, clothing, and insurance. However, the reality is that child support awards cover not only a child’s basic needs, but also additional expenses. To learn more about what you could be required to pay in child support, please contact one of our experienced child support lawyers for advice.

Calculating Child Support

When deciding how much a parent will be required to pay in child support, courts look at both parties’ incomes, the number of children involved, and all child-related expenses. This includes estimates of the cost of basic necessities, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care. However, there are usually a number of other expenses associated with raising a child. For example, education-related expenses alone can quickly become overwhelming and could include: private school tuition, uniforms, school supplies, tutors, and fees for after school clubs. These types of costs are usually included in a court’s child support calculation, although other expenses related to recreation, are not always covered. Texas law also does not mandate coverage for a variety of other childcare costs, including expenses for:

• Daycare;
• After school care;
• Babysitters or nannies;
• Sports fees, including equipment and uniforms;
• Private lessons;
• College funds; and
• Car insurance for the child’s vehicle.

While child support funds can be used to pay for these types of expenses, a certain amount of money is not set aside by the court for this purpose. In fact, courts only require parents to prove that support is going towards certain expenses when there is a question as to whether the child’s basic needs are being met. However, this means that once a parent pays the bills, pays for medical care, and purchases clothing and food for the child, he or she may not have enough left over for these types of extracurricular activities. For this reason, parents are often encouraged to come up with their own out-of-court child support arrangement, so that they can take these factors into account when determining a child’s needs.

When this is not possible and a couple is unable to agree to a child support arrangement, a court will need to step in and make a decision. Although the resulting order will be permanent, it is possible to modify it at a later date.

Call a Leander Child Support Attorney Today for Legal Advice

If you have questions about what your child support order covers or believe that it should be modified, please do not hesitate to contact us speak with one of the dedicated Leander child support lawyers at Powers Kerr & Rashidi, PLLC about your case. We are prepared to assist you immediately.

Source:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-gregg/what-child-support-does-n_b_5472990.html