Understandably, noncustodial parents tend to have a lot of questions regarding their child support responsibilities. Often, it can seem that certain demands by an ex-spouse, particularly regarding the amount, may seem a little off. Noncustodial parents want to know that the child support that Texas courts approved is going towards improving the lives of their children and not their former spouses’. Keep reading to learn about what child support actually covers.
Child support intentions
When a court approves child support for one of the parents, it does so with the intention that it will provide a positive life for the child. In short, it is to provide the basics for a child to live. But what exactly does, and should it, cover? Firstly, as stated above, it is not to improve the custodial parent’s life. With that out of the way, child support may cover:
- Shelter
- Food
- Medicine
- Educational materials (books, pencils, paper, etc.)
- Extracurricular activity expenses
How is the amount of support calculated?
Perhaps the most common question concerns how the amount of child support is calculated. Although it differs in many states, the general practice is to simply calculate what each parent can afford based on his or her yearly income. Of course, that income may change due to layoffs. In that case, the noncustodial parent may file a child support modification form to recalculate how much he or she can give per month.
There’s no doubt about it. Going through a divorce and then having to figure out child support can be a very complex process. Thus, it is imperative that you receive the proper legal advice throughout your case. Doing so may provide you with the peace of mind that any funds going toward your former spouse are helping your child and him or her alone.