--- title: What Does Child Support Cover? - Mahlen Financial description: Learn what child support typically covers and ways to approach sharing these expenses. image: https://amf-divorce.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/qtq80-9twULk.jpeg --- ## A.M. 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June 01, 2022 4 minutes to read Child support can be a confusing and complex part of a separation or divorce. It’s state-specific and there are several factors that influence it. From understanding the details of when it’s paid to what is covered to how you calculate it, in this post, we work to help you get a handle on the topic of child support. # What exactly is child support? Child support is the culmination of “normal” expenses associated with raising a child. These normal expenses typically include food, shelter, transportation, clothing, health insurance, and certain educational costs. Both parents are obligated to contribute toward child support and the cost of these basic expenses is set in this state by Colorado’s Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations.  Additional examples of what is typically included in child support: - Groceries for the children - Clothing - School lunches - School supplies - Daycare costs for parents who work (if it has been included on the child support worksheet) Of course there are always exceptions and this list varies ultimately, on what is included on your child support worksheet. # How Does Child Support Work? As mentioned above, both parents are expected to provide the children with the above general living expenses during their parenting time. However, the percentage of contribution each parent makes toward child support is based on parents’ incomes, number of overnights with the minor child(ren), and the number of children being supported. Child support paid from one parent can also change overtime. Child support is calculated with a state-specific worksheet. Any expense that is not included in the worksheet may not be easy to enforce. Things like daycare and health insurance are only sometimes included on the worksheet, based on your unique agreements. If there are expenses that aren’t part of worksheet calculations, ensure that they are expressly stated in your Parenting Plan along with an agreement on how to pay or split these expenses. Court ordered child support is usually part of your Parenting Plan agreement and must be paid until the court has made a modification. A modification might happen with a significant job change (income) or major change in overnights. Usually, modifications don’t happen unless there is a 10% change in the amount paid from one parent to the other. # How do “extraordinary expenses” relate to child support? Extraordinary expenses add up in the life of the child but are not usually addressed on the child support worksheet. If the annual total aggregate amount of these expenses exceeds $250 per year, they should be specifically addressed in the parenting plan. Examples include: - School field trips - School or sport uniforms -  School fees - Sport/activity fees and associated costs - Summer camp - Club or organization membership costs - Tuition - Car insurance - Cell phone  - Private lessons - Medical costs per year per child, for example: - Medical co-pays or deductibles - Therapy - Orthodontia - Dental - Asthma treatments - Allergy shots - Physical therapy - Surgeries - Prescription drugs - Vision care including glasses and contacts - Out of pocket expense health expenses  ![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) ![](https://amf-divorce.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Online-Learning.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=Online-Learning.jpg) In order to ensure both parents understand the expectations of how these costs will be managed, they should be outlined in the Parenting Plan.. Typically agreements split these costs 50/50 or are based on a percentage of the parent’s total income such as 70/30. These are general guidelines and recommendations and it is always best to discuss your specific circumstances with your legal counsel. Beyond payment, some of these extraordinary expenses require joint decision making. For example, both parties will need to agree on medical treatment, extracurricular activities, and/or summer camps because they have not only a financial impact on both parties, but also impact the parents’ parenting time. If there are extraordinary activities or expenses that are not agreed on for financial reasons (such as an expensive overnight camp or competitive sport), parents can make alternative agreements regarding how to share or not share in the expense, but allow the activity or expense to take place. # Conclusion Child support can be a confusing topic to wrap your head around. You may wonder how child support will impact your financial situation now and in the future. We can help you understand how child support obligations or payments impact your finances and what you should consider both in your Parenting Plan now and how you should plan for what’s next. [Contact us for a free consultation.](https://mahlenfinancial.com/contact-us/) - - - - - [mailto:?subject='https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/what-does-child-support-cover'](mailto:?subject='https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/what-does-child-support-cover') [Divorce](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/tag/divorce), [Child Support](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/tag/child-support) ### Related Posts ## [Part 2: Top Spousal and Child Support Questions: An Interview with Rachel Anderson, Family Law Attorney](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/part-2-top-spousal-and-child-support-questions-an-interview-with-rachel-anderson-family-law-attorney) In [part one of this post](https://mahlenfinancial.com/part-1-top-divorce-questions-aninterview-with-rachel-andersonfamily-law-attorney/), we introduced Rachel Anderson, [family attorney](https://mahlenfinancial.com/finding-the-right-divorce-attorney-6-questions-to-ask/) at [Anderson Allen, LLC](http://www.andersonallen.com/).... [CONTINUE READING](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/part-2-top-spousal-and-child-support-questions-an-interview-with-rachel-anderson-family-law-attorney) ## [Part 1: Top Divorce Questions: An Interview with Rachel Anderson, Family Law Attorney](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/part-1-top-divorce-questions-aninterview-with-rachel-andersonfamily-law-attorney) The most mutually satisfying divorces often involve a [variety of professionals](https://mahlenfinancial.com/divorce-professionals-mahlen-financial/) who serve the... [CONTINUE READING](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/part-1-top-divorce-questions-aninterview-with-rachel-andersonfamily-law-attorney) ## [Unemployment & Divorce: The Financial Considerations](https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/unemployment-divorce-the-financial-considerations) Divorce is undoubtedly a challenging period, and when coupled with a significant shift in... 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All rights reserved. A.M. Financial provides supporting financial information, evaluation and analysis to be utilized by the client and the client’s selected attorney if directed, during the process of their divorce. ervices provided in regards to this agreement are solely fee-only and do not involve investment or security advice or insurance transactions. All information is financial in nature and should not be construed or relied upon as legal or tax advice. A.M. Financial IS NOT AN ATTORNEY AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE. Individuals are encouraged to seek competent legal and tax advice from professionals who specialize in divorce and tax laws in their respective state. Amy Melander (CRD #4692263) is an Investment Adviser Representative of OneDigital Investment Advisors, LLC (ODIA). ODIA and A.M. Financial are independent and unaffiliated entities. ODIA does not offer or provide divorce financial planning services and any statements and/or opinions expressed by A.M. Financial do not represent the views and/or opinions of ODIA.   This website is a publication of A.M. Financial. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Content should not be viewed as personalized investment advice or as an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned herein. A professional adviser should be consulted before implementing any of the strategies presented. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Amy Mahlen", "url" : "https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/author/amy-mahlen" }, "dateModified" : "2023-06-01T12:44:27.402Z", "datePublished" : "2022-06-01T12:39:47.000Z", "headline" : "What Does Child Support Cover? - Mahlen Financial", "image" : [ "https://amf-divorce.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/qtq80-9twULk.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/what-does-child-support-cover", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://amf-divorce.com/hubfs/amf-divorce-logo.jpg" } } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "articleBody" : "Child support can be a confusing and complex part of a separation or divorce. It’s state-specific and there are several factors that influence it. From understanding the details of when it’s paid to what is covered to how you calculate it, in this post, we work to help you get a handle on the topic of child support. What exactly is child support? Child support is the culmination of “normal” expenses associated with raising a child. These normal expenses typically include food, shelter, transportation, clothing, health insurance, and certain educational costs. Both parents are obligated to contribute toward child support and the cost of these basic expenses is set in this state by Colorado’s Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations. Additional examples of what is typically included in child support: Groceries for the children Clothing School lunches School supplies Daycare costs for parents who work (if it has been included on the child support worksheet) Of course there are always exceptions and this list varies ultimately, on what is included on your child support worksheet. How Does Child Support Work? As mentioned above, both parents are expected to provide the children with the above general living expenses during their parenting time. However, the percentage of contribution each parent makes toward child support is based on parents’ incomes, number of overnights with the minor child(ren), and the number of children being supported. Child support paid from one parent can also change overtime. Child support is calculated with a state-specific worksheet. Any expense that is not included in the worksheet may not be easy to enforce. Things like daycare and health insurance are only sometimes included on the worksheet, based on your unique agreements. If there are expenses that aren’t part of worksheet calculations, ensure that they are expressly stated in your Parenting Plan along with an agreement on how to pay or split these expenses. Court ordered child support is usually part of your Parenting Plan agreement and must be paid until the court has made a modification. A modification might happen with a significant job change (income) or major change in overnights. Usually, modifications don’t happen unless there is a 10% change in the amount paid from one parent to the other. How do “extraordinary expenses” relate to child support? Extraordinary expenses add up in the life of the child but are not usually addressed on the child support worksheet. If the annual total aggregate amount of these expenses exceeds $250 per year, they should be specifically addressed in the parenting plan. Examples include: School field trips School or sport uniforms School fees Sport/activity fees and associated costs Summer camp Club or organization membership costs Tuition Car insurance Cell phone Private lessons Medical costs per year per child, for example: Medical co-pays or deductibles Therapy Orthodontia Dental Asthma treatments Allergy shots Physical therapy Surgeries Prescription drugs Vision care including glasses and contacts Out of pocket expense health expenses  In order to ensure both parents understand the expectations of how these costs will be managed, they should be outlined in the Parenting Plan.. Typically agreements split these costs 50/50 or are based on a percentage of the parent’s total income such as 70/30. These are general guidelines and recommendations and it is always best to discuss your specific circumstances with your legal counsel. Beyond payment, some of these extraordinary expenses require joint decision making. For example, both parties will need to agree on medical treatment, extracurricular activities, and/or summer camps because they have not only a financial impact on both parties, but also impact the parents’ parenting time. If there are extraordinary activities or expenses that are not agreed on for financial reasons (such as an expensive overnight camp or competitive sport), parents can make alternative agreements regarding how to share or not share in the expense, but allow the activity or expense to take place. Conclusion Child support can be a confusing topic to wrap your head around. You may wonder how child support will impact your financial situation now and in the future. We can help you understand how child support obligations or payments impact your finances and what you should consider both in your Parenting Plan now and how you should plan for what’s next. Contact us for a free consultation.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Amy Mahlen", "sameAs" : "", "url" : "https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/author/amy-mahlen" }, "dateModified" : "01/06/2022", "datePublished" : "01/06/2022", "headline" : "What Does Child Support Cover?", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 400, "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/39875594/Imported_Blog_Media/qtq80-9twULk.jpeg", "width" : 750 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://amf-divorce.com/our-blog/what-does-child-support-cover", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "" }, "name" : "A.M. Financial", "url" : "amf-divorce.com" } } ```