On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in child support on Friday, June 5, 2020.

Child support is supposed to cover a parent’s many obligations and expenses, including basic necessities such as medical care, education, childcare, transportation, entertainment, extracurricular activities and college costs. Also included under the umbrella of basic necessities are food, clothing and shelter.

Most jurisdictions require separated or divorced parents to provide health insurance for their children. Illinois judges may order the parent with the better plan to continue carrying the coverage. Extraordinary medical expenses that medical insurance doesn’t cover are often an expense that falls under child support.

A child generally can go to school without the expense of tuition up through the twelfth grade. There may still be additional school-related expenses that parents need to pay, though. These include fees for textbooks, school uniforms, lunch, tutors and extracurricular activities.

Children are generally let out of school while their parents are still at work. Kids must have some sort of supervision in the form of childcare to ensure that they remain safe. Child support may cover this.

There’s a cost to get children to school and to the various places where they need to go to during the year. The vehicles used to transport them must be maintained, registered, insured and filled up with gasoline. Parents must make timely car payments. Parents often incur expenses as they take their son or daughter to see their noncustodial parent. Parents can use child support to cover all of these costs.

Illinois parents often feel obligated to keep their children entertained during the school year as well as on holidays and summer vacations. Children expect to have access to video games, the internet, amusement parks, toys, movie theaters, camping trips and a television. They may also want to participate in extracurricular activities like intramural sports or scouts. Child support can come in handy to pay for these expenses.

One of the biggest mistakes that divorcing couples make when negotiating custody and support is that they don’t ask for enough money to take care of their kids adequately. A child support attorney can aid you in identifying how much you spend to raise your son or daughter and help you negotiate a fair settlement with your ex.