I have an AVVO page, where I often answer questions to the public. Here is one you may be interested in regarding the misconceptions surrounding child support.
What Does Child Support Cover?
What does Child Support cover? Just food, clothes and shelter? Or does it also cover Camp fees, extra-curricular activities etc?
Harry’s Answer
What child support includes and excludes is often incredibly misunderstood.
First, child support is NOT support for a child. That is an unfortunate and inconvenient phrase that has stuck in this country. It reflects a shifting of income between the parties based solely on a legislative compromise as to how much should be shifted depending on certain factors. The two most important factors are the gross incomes of each parent, and the number of overnights the children sleep at with each parent.
Additional issues can effect the calculation of child support, including but not limited to whether a parent is paying alimony, child support for other children with a different parent, health insurance, extraordinary medical bills, education related bills and work related child care.
This is where it can get interesting. The general rule is that extracurricular activities are not part of the child support equation. However, if they are work-related costs, then they might be considered as part of the child support calculation. As you can see, child support is rarely cut and dry. It requires an intensive analysis by a highly experienced divorce attorney. One of us will sit down with you, go over all of the child support factors with you and then tell you what you should be paying.
Reach Out To An Experienced Family Law Attorney
For more information, give the experienced Maryland family law attorneys at Milstein Siegel a call at (410) 792-2300 or request a consultation online.