After a decision has been made in regards to custody over children after a divorce, it is typically decided how much the non-custodial parent will be paying the other parent in what is called child support. This number is typically decided by a court judge who assesses factors such as income and abilities to determine the specific amount that is to be paid. But after this number has been decided and the patron agrees to pay it, what exactly does that money do? What is it used for and how is that child support going to be actively supporting the child? This money goes towards a number of different aspects of a child’s life that are intended to help successfully raise the children in the midst and aftermath of a divorce.
Covering Basic Needs
First and foremost, child support is to ensure that the children’s basic needs are covered at all times. This money is to help maintain the standard of living that they had before the divorce and make sure their necessities are able to be covered. Some of the basic necessities that child support money should be going towards can include:
- Housing, utilities, and safety of the child’s primary living environment
- Food and basic living necessities
- Medical appointments such as doctors, dentist, and eyecare
- Clothing, furniture, toys
- School supplies and extracurricular activities
This money is intended to be used in the primary caretaker of the children involved. This is to help ensure that the financial burden of having children is still shared between the parents after a divorce has ensued.
Not Intended For Parent Needs
While the parent who was granted custody is typically the one who receives child support payments, this money is not supposed to be used on the parents’ personal needs or wants. This money is to go towards all the needs of the children and used to support them in whatever way possible. These funds can be misused if parents use it on personal items like clothing, beauty products and services, or vacations that are unrelated to the child. These child support payments are made on a monthly basis. After everything has been purchased for their child within a particular month, there is a chance that there might be some money left over. In this event, the parent is not to spend it on things for themselves – rather it should be saved for another time and an expense for their child in the future.
A Clear and Singular Goal
Whatever the circumstances are surrounding a divorce or who is on the receiving end of the child support funds, there is always just one clear and singular goal for this money. That goal is to remember that this money is used to support the welfare and wellbeing of the child or children who are in this situation of divorced parents. When the courts have decided how much will be paid in child support, and to whom, they will go over the responsibilities that their parents have in regards to this money. If you are looking for a lawyer in a child support case, a child support lawyer at Affordable Family Law can help you be well represented in your case. Divorce can be a tricky situation but child support is intended to ease financial burdens and ensure that the child is getting everything they need to live a full, successful, and happy life.
