When you and your partner decide to start a family, you are likely thinking about where your children will be when they get older. Dreams of reaching normal milestones such as your son learning to drive, or your daughter walking across the stage at high school graduation are normal and expected. But what happens when the relationship with your co-parent falls apart? Those plans for the destination wedding or the month-long summer camp can evaporate when your co-parent no longer wants to contribute financially. What kind of expenses do parents have to pay and what is optional?
Generally, courts want to ensure that the children’s basic necessities of life are covered, including housing, food, clothing, medical care, and education. Child support helps to level the playing field between both parents’ homes and helps with housing, food, and clothing, but work-related childcare costs, uninsured medical expenses, extracurricular activities, and private school costs are divided between parents and are NOT covered by child support. Everything else –even something things that has become the norm–isn’t required, such as cell phones, travel sports, study abroad, and cars. Parents can think of it in this way: while they should ensure that children reach certain milestones and obtain certain life skills, such as learning how to swim, ride a bike, or drive a car, there’s absolutely no requirement that parents purchase a pool, a bicycle, or a car for their children.
In Indiana, courts can also order parents to contribute to their children’s college education, but it is a highly fact specific analysis to determine what the child’s contribution should be and how much each parent must contribute. Beyond this, court will likely not order parents to pay for other commonly incurred expenses if they do not agree, such as bar/bat mitzvahs, quinceañeras, senior picture sessions, graduation parties, and weddings. Parents have full discretion as to their contribution to these “extras.”
If you’re confused about what expenses should be divided between you and your co-parent, contact Wanzer Edwards for a review of your case.
