Some love stories do not end happily. Some end in divorce, leaving children in the middle of the chaos. Here, learn about what is child support and how to use it for your children’s advantage.
When a couple separates or goes through a divorce, things can get pretty stressful. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the event, it can even be downright nasty.
When children are involved, the two need to try and keep things cordial for the sake of the kids. One of the hottest topics of divorce or separation with kids is child support.
Learn About What is Child Support For
The calculation of support can lead to conflict, especially when the person paying believes the money is not being used for the kids. What should child support go towards?
Basic Necessities of the Children
A portion of child support is used for necessities such as food, shelter, utilities, and the like. Depending on the age of the child and his or her needs, this amount may be expected to increase or decrease over time.
For example, the court usually considers younger children in much need of necessities, and therefore, support tends to be higher. However, many parents would argue tht kids’ basic needs grow as they do. A child support attorney orlando fl can help you figure out how much of the support should go towards those needs.
A Portion for Activities and Supplies
As a parent, you may want to give your child every opportunity to participate in and experience as many activities as possible.
However, when it comes to using child support to foot the bill, you may want to dial it back. Using all of your child’s support allowance on activities and supplies may leave him or her lacking in other more critical areas.
Appropriate Medical Care
The court may not necessarily indicate that child support does go towards medical care, but it should. While you and your ex probably have an agreement to split medical costs, you can still divvy some of the support to upgrade to a better doctor or get the formulary of a prescription instead of a generic.
In Conclusion
Child support has always been a divisive topic between those who pay and those who receive. Whether you agree on how the money is used, the fact is it is still owed, and it needs to find its way to helping the child.
There is a need to educate couples about what is child support. Maybe it’s just a reminder, but it would be good to refresh parents that the money is actually for the children.
