As a co-parent, it is important to understand child support payments and how they can be used to benefit your child’s wellbeing. In this blog post, we will explore what child support can and cannot be used for.

What is Child Support?

Child support is a legal obligation that requires one parent to provide financial assistance to the other parent for the benefit of their child. The purpose of child support is to ensure that the child’s basic needs are met, including food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. In addition, child support can also be used to provide for the child’s educational and extracurricular activities.

What Can Child Support Be Used For?

  1. Basic Necessities: Child support can be used for the child’s basic necessities, such as food, housing, clothing, and medical care. These are essential expenses that every child needs to survive and thrive.
  2. Educational Expenses: Child support can also be used to cover educational expenses, such as school supplies, textbooks, tuition fees, and other related costs. This is especially important for children who need additional educational support, such as tutoring or special classes.
  3. Extracurricular Activities: Unless otherwise specified, child support can be used to cover the costs of extracurricular activities, such as sports teams, music lessons, and summer camps. These activities can help children develop important life skills, make new friends, and explore their interests.
  4. Medical Expenses: Child support can be used to cover medical expenses, such as doctor visits, medications, and hospitalization. This is especially important for children with chronic health conditions or disabilities.

What Can Child Support Not Be Used For?

  1. Personal Expenses: Child support cannot be used to cover personal expenses, such as clothing or entertainment for the custodial parent. The funds should only be used to benefit the child.
  2. Non-Essential Expenses: Child support cannot be used to cover non-essential expenses, such as luxury items or vacations. The funds should only be used to cover the child’s basic needs and necessary expenses.
  3. Childcare for Non-Work Related Purposes: Child support cannot generally be used to pay for childcare that is not work-related. For example, if the custodial parent wants to go out with friends and needs a babysitter, they cannot use child support funds to pay for it.

In conclusion, child support is meant to provide for the child’s basic needs and wellbeing. It is essential to use these funds responsibly and for the benefit of the child. Whether you are the parent paying child support or the parent receiving it, it is important to understand the parameters of what child support can and cannot be used for.

This blog does not constitute legal advice. If you have legal questions about the valid use of child support, contact Sandoval Family Law today.