Does child support cover cost X? Probably.

One common questions that a lot of divorcees have after their child support payments are settled and agree to is “what can my child custody actually cover?”

This question presupposes that the payments will be heavily scrutinized and tracked. However, they won’t be out of the gate. Only if serious legal complications occur or if it is clear that a misappropriation of the funds has occurred will extensive monitoring of the payments be necessary.

With that said, let’s answer the actual question. There are many different financial costs that can be covered by the child support payments that you receive. The basic necessities of life are one. This means that clothing, housing and food are all acceptable costs that you can use your child support payment on.

Medical costs and education are also two critical costs that child support can cover. This means that any medical cost, may it be insured or not, can be paid for with child support; and any educational fees, such as tuition, fees, school supplies, and other related costs can be paid with child support too.

Then there are the “other” categories that are covered by child support. Transportation is a big one. If your children need to take the bus to get to school, that is covered. Or if they need to take a bus or flight to see a custodial parent, that is also covered. Extracurricular activities (such as school clubs and sports) and entertainment costs (such as video game systems and movie tickets) are covered under child support payments too.

Source: FindLaw, “What Does Child Support Cover?,” Accessed Jan. 8, 2017