Many Delaware mothers and fathers are paying a lot of money each month in child support. It’s only natural for these parents to ask the question, “Is the child support money I’m paying being used in the right way?”
In fact, child support is intended to be used to cover many types of costs and expenses relating to your child.
Acceptable categories for spending child support money
Generally, the receiving parent can use your child support money to pay for the following child-related expenses:
Basic needs: Receiving parents have the right to spend child support money on food, shelter and clothing for the child. Within the category of food are snacks, meals, beverages and reasonable trips to restaurants. Within the category of clothing, parents can use child support money to buy the child new shoes and clothing as needed and required. Also, parents may spend the money on expenses related to housing, such as paying rent, mortgage, electricity and other utility bills.
Medical needs: Parents can spend child support money on medical and dental costs pertaining to the child. The money can also be spent on health insurance if the child is not already covered by the other parent’s policy.
Educational needs: Children may incur costs relating to school, tuition, uniforms, supplies and other education-related expenses. Child support money may be used to cover these costs.
Childcare needs: When a parent is working during the day, it’s often necessary to enroll the child at a childcare facility or to employ a nanny or babysitter. Child support money can be used to pay for these expenses.
Travel and transportation needs: Taking a child from place to place can be costly and expensive in terms of the costs of fuel, maintaining a vehicle or using public transportation. Child support money can pay for car payments, car insurance, car maintenance, gas, public transport and more — within reason of course.
Entertainment needs: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Children need entertainment and parents can use child support money to pay for reasonable expenses related to entertainment, games, Internet, television, theater and travel. Parents can also use it to pay for extracurricular artistic, academic and sporting pursuits.
Do you know how your child support money can be used?
Whether you’re the receiving or paying parent, you may have a lot of questions regarding the use of your child support money. Make sure you understand the terms of your divorce agreement in the context of Delaware divorce law to gain deeper insight into this issue.
