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What costs does child support cover?

On Behalf of | May 12, 2021 | Family Law

North Dakota, like other states, has a formula to determine how much child support a noncustodial parent should pay to cover the costs associated with raising their son or daughter. Factors such as parental income and the number of kids a parent has may affect how much child support the court orders them to pay.

Many custodial parents worry that their ex may petition the court to reduce their payment obligation if the amount they receive on their child’s behalf exceeds their expenses. It’s critical to understand what child support covers. It may aid you in proving that the support that you receive isn’t excessive.

The basic expenses

Some of the essential expenses that child support covers include food, clothing and shelter. Standard meals and snacks are both valid food costs a child may have. A clothing allowance may pay for school uniforms and clothes that a child wears when not in school. Child support may go to paying for a portion of the mortgage and utility costs also.

Additional expenses

Typically, the parent with the best health insurance coverage to add their child to their plan. Parents may need to broker a plan for sharing the responsibility for any copays or extraordinary medical expenses not covered by insurance.

While kids can attend public school through 12th grade for free, there are additional related costs for textbooks, uniforms or tutors that parents may be coverable by child support. This support may also cover your child’s college education.

Children generally get out of school each day while their parents are still at work. Child support may go to paying for child care after school and on breaks.

A parent may need a car to transport their children to different destinations. Child support may cover car payments, registration, maintenance and gas costs that make operating a vehicle possible.

Securing enough child support to cover your expenses

You may not have a full grasp of your expenses when initially brokering a child support agreement in your case. The full breadth of expenses that you have may not become apparent until you see your expenditures mount. An attorney can advise you whether you meet the requirements to petition a judge for a modification of support in your case if your expenses are higher than what you receive.

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