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what should be paid with child support?
- Thread starter mom4555
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Gracie3787
Senior Member
mom4555 said:
The way CS works is basically this-
NCP pay X$ to CP as CS-
CP can spend it any way they wish- AS LONG AS: The kids have food, elec, roof over heads, medical care, school lunches, school uniforms, clothes, etc.
Gracie3787 said:
Thank you for the quick response, I guess I should have been a bit more clear. I go for a hearing next week to set a perm. order for CS and I need to know if I should ask NCP to split any additional costs. RE-uniforms, school lunch,field trips etc... or are these included in the support?
Thanks Again,
C.
CS is NOT intended to pay the CPs own housing, transportation costs, etc. The CP is expected to support the CP. The CS is the NCPs share of the cost of supporting the child. CS is not intended to be the CPs sole support.
So the NCP is NOT expected to pay the CS - and then also pay for the everyday costs of having the child there. Clothing them is part of what CS should pay for. If clothes consists of a uniform, fine. I don't see that the school uniforms are any more expensive than other school clothes. Actually, they are less expensive because it's all color coordinated AND YOU DON'T NEED AS MANY DIFFERENT TOPS AND BOTTOMS. And CS is for things like feeding the child, so, yes, it covers school lunches.
So the NCP is NOT expected to pay the CS - and then also pay for the everyday costs of having the child there. Clothing them is part of what CS should pay for. If clothes consists of a uniform, fine. I don't see that the school uniforms are any more expensive than other school clothes. Actually, they are less expensive because it's all color coordinated AND YOU DON'T NEED AS MANY DIFFERENT TOPS AND BOTTOMS. And CS is for things like feeding the child, so, yes, it covers school lunches.
abstract99
Senior Member
True, however... the cost can go towards rent or morgage due to the fact that CP has to provide a roof over the childrens head.
Yes, CP can use it as they wish.
But we grown ups should be putting roofs over our heads whether we have kids or not. If we use our kid's CS to support USE, instead of them, we are taking away from their support money and there will be less of it to pay for things like their school extra curriculars, etc..
But we grown ups should be putting roofs over our heads whether we have kids or not. If we use our kid's CS to support USE, instead of them, we are taking away from their support money and there will be less of it to pay for things like their school extra curriculars, etc..
abstract99
Senior Member
Boy my rent sure would be a lot cheeper if I didn't require extra rooms for my children. Plain and simple as long as the children have what they need then the money can be spent however they choose.
It's not for the WHOLE rent, is my point. IT's not supposed to be used as THE source of housing. There is a proportionate price adjusment as one increases space per child, but the need to have housing is not dependent upon having children. One needs housing with or without children.
The CS is meant to be the NCPs SHARE of adding children to a household. Not the cost of having a household in the first place. I state this because some young new mothers come here thinking that now their ex will be required to pay for THEIR rent, etc. They can use it as they wish, but the amount is intended to suppliment the NCPs household, not fully support it.
The CS is meant to be the NCPs SHARE of adding children to a household. Not the cost of having a household in the first place. I state this because some young new mothers come here thinking that now their ex will be required to pay for THEIR rent, etc. They can use it as they wish, but the amount is intended to suppliment the NCPs household, not fully support it.
here is the point, Yes, a CP can use the support money to pay the entire rent bill, thier visa card, thier trip to aruba, the new boiler in the basement, the RV, the civil war chess set, etc......
as an example, if you could depend on support to pay your rent, or mortgage, that would be great because then any money you earn can be more freely spent on your kids, because you have used some of "thier" money to pay your portion of 'your" rent, right? (a quick search of apartments will tell you thier is usually only a couple hundred difference, in 1-2 bedroom apartments and 3 bedrooms)
Once child support leaves the NCP's hands, its for the CP to decide how they add it to thier household income. And the NCP is no longer obligated to provide anything more financially for that month.
child support is designed to encompass, ALL the expenses involved in raising a child, from housing and food and healthcare, to extra curriculars. School lunch and uniforms, field trips, little league,are not considered extra's as they come under the basics.
Major expenses to be split, aside from suppport, MIGHT be things like private school, if the child already attends, expensive sports (hockey, horseback riding) if the kid already takes them. major medical expenses if the kid already has a condition, etc.....
as an example, if you could depend on support to pay your rent, or mortgage, that would be great because then any money you earn can be more freely spent on your kids, because you have used some of "thier" money to pay your portion of 'your" rent, right? (a quick search of apartments will tell you thier is usually only a couple hundred difference, in 1-2 bedroom apartments and 3 bedrooms)
Once child support leaves the NCP's hands, its for the CP to decide how they add it to thier household income. And the NCP is no longer obligated to provide anything more financially for that month.
child support is designed to encompass, ALL the expenses involved in raising a child, from housing and food and healthcare, to extra curriculars. School lunch and uniforms, field trips, little league,are not considered extra's as they come under the basics.
Major expenses to be split, aside from suppport, MIGHT be things like private school, if the child already attends, expensive sports (hockey, horseback riding) if the kid already takes them. major medical expenses if the kid already has a condition, etc.....
The child support I receive is to go towards everything for the kids: Clothing (school and play), extracurricular activities, field trips, food (including school lunches), etc. The only thing it does not cover would be the expenses listed in the divorce decree: we split school fees (not supplies - just registration fees) and medical expenses. I pay for everything else. Basically, I was told it is my choice to have my child in extracurricular activities and therefore the NCP is not required to pay which is fine with me.
With what I have experienced, and the very little CS I recieve, going by a % of his income, its barely enough to cover diapers and wipes on a monthly basis, nevermind include anything else she may need. If they work and make more $ your able to get more CS, so mor $ means less expense for you, clearly you don't need to put the $ asside and make sure its only used for their clothes or school lunch or what have you, regardless of what you spend that exact money on, you still need to feed them and send them to school in clothes, so as long as its all done, so go out and enjoy some time together doing something fun, noone said you cant use it to enjoy some time with the children too. 
Additional expenses
You may discuss this with the NCP. In our situation, when our child had extracurricular activities...the expenses were split 50/50. It would have been difficult to cover the expenses without NCP's assistance. Throughout the years, he's been quite receptive to discussing extra expenses as they've come up. Whenever I've been able to pay for extras by myself, I've discussed it with my ex and let him know that I was taking care of it. Sometimes he would step up and say that he wanted to take care of it by himself. Now that our child is going off to college, we're working together toward helping with those expenses, too; however, there is nothing in our order which mentions college expenses. Something you might consider is discussing with your ex future college expenses. My ex and I have always intended to help our child through college. So, now that the time is here...we're on the same page with regard to paying for college expenses.
It's a good idea to discuss things with your ex and find out from the get go where everyone stands. Good luck in court!
=)
mom4555 said:
You may discuss this with the NCP. In our situation, when our child had extracurricular activities...the expenses were split 50/50. It would have been difficult to cover the expenses without NCP's assistance. Throughout the years, he's been quite receptive to discussing extra expenses as they've come up. Whenever I've been able to pay for extras by myself, I've discussed it with my ex and let him know that I was taking care of it. Sometimes he would step up and say that he wanted to take care of it by himself. Now that our child is going off to college, we're working together toward helping with those expenses, too; however, there is nothing in our order which mentions college expenses. Something you might consider is discussing with your ex future college expenses. My ex and I have always intended to help our child through college. So, now that the time is here...we're on the same page with regard to paying for college expenses.
It's a good idea to discuss things with your ex and find out from the get go where everyone stands. Good luck in court!
=)
I agree that school clothing is included in CS payments - -that is what those payments are for, clothes, food, etc..... there is nothing that says kids have to buy lunch, there is a such thing as a lunchbox.
And, also, my ex and I split costs in regards to our son, we get along enough in that aspect that we are able to talk and he is very willing financially to front money to cover medical expenses, etc.
Usually, if he has our son, and goes to the doctor, he pays the copay and any prescription, and I do the same...... we rarely ask each other for money in that sense...... we split counseling 50/50 when he went there.
Clothing, we split, school lunches we split although my son likes to take his lunch some days, depending on the schooll menu.
I should mention that I don't get, or give CS payments, we just split daycare, and all other costs 50/50 and provided it stays that way I would never consider asking for CS from him.
Good luck
And, also, my ex and I split costs in regards to our son, we get along enough in that aspect that we are able to talk and he is very willing financially to front money to cover medical expenses, etc.
Usually, if he has our son, and goes to the doctor, he pays the copay and any prescription, and I do the same...... we rarely ask each other for money in that sense...... we split counseling 50/50 when he went there.
Clothing, we split, school lunches we split although my son likes to take his lunch some days, depending on the schooll menu.
I should mention that I don't get, or give CS payments, we just split daycare, and all other costs 50/50 and provided it stays that way I would never consider asking for CS from him.
Good luck