Who Pays for Child Expenses in a Divorce?

Child maintenance is one of the most important issues that crop up at the time of divorce.

It has to be decided who will pay for the children’s upkeep, and how it will be paid. The financial responsibilities include paying for the dental and medical insurance, college education, camps, sports, clothing, luxuries, and other expenses of the children.

If there are any gray areas, the two parties approach the court once again and move a motion to modify the judgment related to the payment for various expenses. So it is advisable to make a comprehensive list of items of expenditure for a suitable settlement of alimony.

The concerned parties should note down the items of expenditure to be addressed and also explain the way in which they would like to share the expenses. They should give this to their respective St. Louis divorce lawyers so that the two lists can be compared to see if they are in consonance with each other. If there are any points of disagreement they should be resolved so that no more litigation is required in the future.

The Main Point Of Conflict

The person who pays the child support may say that certain expenses are already covered in the monthly maintenance and refuse to pay for them separately. He or she may argue that alimony is meant for the daily expenses of the children. It does not include the payment for sports camps, or additional school books, etc.

Ways To Avoid This Conflict

Firstly, in order to stay away from this conflict and confusion, the two parties can clearly define child maintenance in the decree. They can state the items covered by it.

Secondly, they can arrive at an agreement regarding the payment for uncovered expenses. They can choose to make joint decisions and share the expenses. Typically, the courts decide this on the basis of their incomes. When the parties decide independently, it may violate the custody arrangement and lead to a more serious problem. One parent may be considered to be the ‘giver’, while the other may be looked upon as a non-contributor. If there are great differences in their incomes, this could be quite unfair.

Thirdly, after setting the clear categories of expenses, the two parties should decide how they will approve a particular expense and share it.

Thus, all the details of meeting the children’s expenses will be stated clearly in the judgment. This will reduce the chances of one-sided decisions and encourage both the parents to have a say, and share in the expenditure.

The parents ought to work together to take care of the children’s activities and the expenses involved. This will help to move things smoothly without adversely affecting the children.

St. Louis Family Law Attorney

At The Betz Law Firm, our firm’s goal is to assist families in need to navigate their way through these important, life-changing events. We have effectively represented hundreds of clients in their divorce, whether it be in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, or even counties farther afield. Call us today at (314) 801-8488 or fill out our online contact form to request a free 30-minute phone consultation.

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