Caring and providing for your child is a requirement of all parents, regardless of separation or divorce. To ensure no parent walks away from a divorce without the obligation to financially provide for their child, child support is ordered in every divorce case, unlike spousal support, which isn’t always necessary.
The State of California has set forth a standard calculation to determine basic child support amounts. This calculation takes heavily into account the incomes of the parents and the time the child spends with each parent. Primary custodial parents who have the child the majority of the time will be more in need of child support than the other parent who has visitation rarely.
Basic child support is intended to cover the necessary costs of raising and providing for a child:
- Food,
- Clothing,
- Health insurance,
- Entertainment and activity costs, and
- A range of other day-to-day expenses.
It does not have to just go towards just the basic necessities, but towards what you would do for your child if you were still married. A child needs more than just basic necessities to grow and mature in a healthy way. The costs of raising a child are varied and endless. Many costs are manageable and can easily be covered with basic child support. Some costs associated with raising a child will not be covered under basic child support alone.
Childcare costs, which often exceed any other expense, do not have to be covered under basic child support. Uninsured medical expenses and private school tuition as well can far exceed basic child support. For these expensive but often very important components, extra child support can be ordered or your child support order can include language that designates the percentage share of these costs each parent will be responsible for covering. Usually, this can be determined based on the incomes of the parents. If these are necessary and reasonable expenses you expect to incur for your child, consult an experienced family law attorney for help in drafting a child support order that is reasonable for both parties. Child support is a very important part of a divorce, so make sure you take the right steps towards reaching a favorable outcome.
Are you in Los Angeles County and have questions about child support? Certified Family Law Specialist Mark H. Karney has expertise in child support matters and experience handling complex divorce cases in Los Angeles County. Serving Los Angeles and surrounding areas, Mark H. Karney can efficiently and successfully handle your child support issues. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Contact us through our online form or call us at 310-564-5710.