There’s a misconception that child support is only supposed to cover the bare essentials, such as clothing and food. However, the truth is that child support is intended to cover a variety of expenses, such as entertainment, school fees, medical bills, and extracurricular activities. Every state has established guidelines to determine the amount of support parents should pay, and a child support lawyer in Hillsboro, MO, will consider a range of factors when recommending an amount.
The Bare Necessities
Children need, at the very least, food, shelter and clothing. Support money can be used to buy snacks, beverages, groceries and other edible items, and it can also be used to buy shoes and clothing. Furthermore, child support funds can be used to pay shelter costs such as rent, telephone and utility bills. If a parent has questions about how their support payments are being spent, they should contact Wegmann Law Firm.
Medical Expenses
Children need a minimum level of medical care, and most states require parents to purchase health insurance for their children. In most cases, the parent with the better employer-sponsored plan will be the one to carry the child’s insurance. Child support funds can also be used to pay extraordinary medical bills, such as deductibles, copayments and surgery bills. In many cases, these funds can be used to buy things such as braces, eyeglasses and other appliances, and many states require separated parents to share in these expenses.
Educational Costs
Even if a child attends a public school, education is far from free; there are several fees to pay. Child support payments can be used to cover educational needs such as school uniforms, tuition, lunch money, textbook fees and tutoring, if required.
Daycare
If either parent cannot care for the child because of work obligations, child support money can be used to defray the cost of childcare. These expenses include babysitters’ fees and daycare or nanny costs, and they include the cost of childcare during school holidays.
There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding child support payments, and the actions of some parents do nothing to dispel these myths. By learning what is covered by child support payments, and by hiring a child support lawyer in Hillsboro, MO, parents can protect their legal rights while financially supporting their children.
