614-241-2174When Ohio residents consider child support, they often think about covering the minor’s basics needs. These could include food, clothing, and a place for the child to live. The reality is that child support covers a lot more.
In many places, a good education is not free, so child support could cover regular school fees. Since the parent who has custody may also need to work, support could be used to help cover childcare fees. Furthermore, kids need entertainment. It’s the parent’s responsibility to provide their children with entertainment, so this could also be included in child support.
Parents are traditionally responsible for helping their children get higher education and go to college. This is why college expenses are considered when thinking about child support.
The truth is that raising a child is expensive. Unfortunately, the cost of basic things gets more expensive every year. Each state has child support guidelines that determine what’s factored when determining how much should be covered.
At a minimum, child support should help out with things like beverages, groceries, snacks and more. Utility bills and rent should also be factored in too. It may be required for the parents to have some sort of health insurance to cover their children. This typically falls on the parent who has better benefits from their employer. Child support payments might also be used to cover unusual or out-of-the-ordinary medical expenses.
A divorced parent may feel that they are not getting a fair deal when it comes to child support payments. If this is the case, they may want to talk to a family law attorney. Legal counsel could help a client better understand the laws surrounding child support, alimony and child custody. They may help their client work out an arrangement that’s better suited for their needs.