What can a parent pay for with child support money?

Child support is an important obligation that California parents must pay for the benefit and welfare of their kids. When two parents are married, they use their earnings to raise their child in their shared home. However, when a child’s parents live separately due to separation or divorce, the parents’ child support arrangement may have a different look.

Parents who pay child support because of divorce of separation often do so because their co-parent has their child under their care for more time. Child support is generally paid monthly and is computed based on guidelines that focus on the parents’ incomes and custodial rights. Different families may have different child support outcomes, so it is important that parents take their child support and family law questions to knowledgeable California-based attorneys.

Appropriate uses of child support

Child support can be used for a wide range of expenses related to the raising of a child. Specific costs related to a child can be covered, such as buying them clothing or shoes, or paying for educational costs related to their schooling. Other more general costs can also be covered with child support, and those costs can include but are not limited to:

• Childcare so that the custodial parent can work;
• Transportation costs;
• Health insurance; and
• Extracurricular costs.

If a parent has concerns over how their co-parent is using child support funds, they can always seek the advice of their trusted family law attorney.

Staying current on child support

Child support is an important obligation. It is an important way that a parent ensures that their child has everything they need to survive and thrive. When a parent falls behind on child support payments, they can face sanctions and penalties. When the nonpayment of child support becomes an issue for a paying parent or a recipient parent, legal support from understanding and knowledgeable local counsel can make a difference in the processing of the case.