What does Child Support Cover the cost of?

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mmalek - if your ex is paying more than his share of child support, like half ballet fee's etc, then that is HIS CHOICE! No one is forcing him to do that. But any father who cares about his child will happily offer to help out with these things.

Does his ex work? Does she have an income of her own she could also be using to fund these trips? Child support is based on BOTH parental incomes as well as percentage of care. So the amount your partner pays will be reduced depending on the amount his ex earns. It is to help with the EVERY DAY raising of the child/ren. If a parent chooses to help with extra things, then that to me is a bloody good parent who gives a rats!

Have you informed CSA that you have 50/50 care? If not then maybe you should? If you have, then there's not much you can do. Every CSA case is based on the same percentage of income, then other factors are taken into consideration. It works out equal for everyone as long as everyone is honest & paying their share.



I get nothing. I have 4 children. My rate is a pathetic $114 a week & I haven't received a cent in almost 2 years. I guess that means I have the right to ask what my ex is spending MY child support on... you think he'll tell me?

As far as I know, no, child support only helps with every day expenses. Rent, food, nappies etc. Extra curricular activities, dental, specialists etc don't come into it. Specialists etc are things you can ask courts to put in parental orders, to be paid on top of child support, because they are not every day expenses. Not all children only need basics necessities to survive.