Budgeting for Child Support

Whether you are the one paying or receiving child support each month, budgeting this money is especially important since it is for your child’s life.

Spend Wisely

There are no laws or court orders that say how your child support must be spent, but it makes sense for everyone to spend it wisely. Never spend child support money on purchases for yourself that don’t benefit the child. For one, this isn’t the purpose of the child support in the first place, and second, if you ex finds out that their money is going toward purchases that only benefit you, this argument could get pretty messy in court.

Create A Budget

Especially if you receive child support money inconsistently each month, it’s important to make a monthly budget based on your income alone. This will help you determine where any extra money, including child support, needs to go after expenses are initially covered by your income. Child support is still money for your child, but you may find that you can put it aside for their future such as groceries next month or their education. Do not count the child support money as income.

Make Estimates

Estimate what you spend each month on your children, including housing, food, education, medical expenses, and other activities. Always keep a copy of this estimate on hand for the court and your ex-spouse, so you can show with integrity how much the child is costing you per month and how the child support amount is or is not helping fulfill those needs.

Establish Payments

If you are the one making the child support payments, be consistent. Establish a regular method of payment so you know when the money is coming out of your accounts and so your ex-spouse knows when they will be getting the money. Always try your best to make the full payments, and if you can’t, contact the court immediately letting them know this so you can avoid any penalties.

Modification

You have the right, as the payor or the payee, to request modification to your child support order if certain circumstances have changed. This could include job change/loss, medical emergency, etc. Even if your request is not granted, it will still be on record with the court.

Child custody and child support agreements can be tough to work around after a divorce. For legal assistance, contact the Glendale child custody attorneys at The Sampair Group. Visit us today at Sampair Group for more information and a free consultation today.