# Typical child support agreement



## southbound (Oct 31, 2010)

Is it typical for the person paying child support to also pay half of everything else, or is there times when the child support payment is it?


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## Holland (Aug 20, 2012)

In my world yes it is typical for both parents to pay for all child related costs over and above child support.

eg ex pays child support, we both pay half for school fees ($30k per child per year x 3 children), half of all medical, dental including braces, school camps, music lessons, sport lessons, dance lessons.

We do 50/50 shared care so if for eg the kids are with a parent and are going to the movies or a party then we just pay that cost, say $50 - $100 depending on the event. Keeping in mind we have 3 teenage kids so they cost more when they go out.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

Holland said:


> In my world yes it is typical for both parents to pay for all child related costs over and above child support.
> 
> eg ex pays child support, we both pay half for school fees ($30k per child per year x 3 children), half of all medical, dental including braces, school camps, music lessons, sport lessons, dance lessons.
> 
> We do 50/50 shared care so if for eg the kids are with a parent and are going to the movies or a party then we just pay that cost, say $50 - $100 depending on the event. Keeping in mind we have 3 teenage kids so they cost more when they go out.


Same here.


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## Pluto2 (Aug 17, 2011)

It does vary a bit by state. In mine, by statute there is the guideline support amount, plus one-half of unreimbursed medicals and dental. The ex is under no obligation to pay anything else. I have 100% physical custody.

Haven't received anything for meds or dental and he's in arrears for support. Hopefully some will be recovered if he actually files taxes this year.


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## sisters359 (Apr 9, 2009)

There is no "typical." Each state has its own system for calculating child support--and outside of that, the settlement agreement would indicate who pays for what. 

My ex and I agreed to split medical and dental expenses 50/50. Beyond that and the state mandated child support, we agreed all other expenses had to be agreed upon. He would not agree to anything else--school, soccer, special events, etc. So if something is important for your kids, get it in the legal agreement. Otherwise, you are out of luck unless you have time still to renegotiate the settlement. Good luck.


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## Boottothehead (Sep 3, 2013)

My husband pays half of the medical expenses, but his ex never provides any documentation. She simply tells us that we owe XX dollars. We have to fight to get receipts or EOB statements. We are supposed to be consulted for activities that are outside of normal cost ranges, like a really expensive soccer league or summer camp. So far, that's happened once where we got advance notice so we could discuss the activity and work out payment, and once we were just told that we had to reimburse the ex bc she's already signed the kiddo up for the activity.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

Boottothehead said:


> My husband pays half of the medical expenses, but his ex never provides any documentation. She simply tells us that we owe XX dollars. We have to fight to get receipts or EOB statements. We are supposed to be consulted for activities that are outside of normal cost ranges, like a really expensive soccer league or summer camp. So far, that's happened once where we got advance notice so we could discuss the activity and work out payment, and once we were just told that we had to reimburse the ex bc she's already signed the kiddo up for the activity.


Not cool.

In some relationships not providing the EOBs, etc. would be fine if there was trust, but if asked to furnish them, there's zero excuse to not do so.


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## Lon (Jun 6, 2011)

Boottothehead said:


> My husband pays half of the medical expenses, but his ex never provides any documentation. She simply tells us that we owe XX dollars. We have to fight to get receipts or EOB statements. We are supposed to be consulted for activities that are outside of normal cost ranges, like a really expensive soccer league or summer camp. So far, that's happened once where we got advance notice so we could discuss the activity and work out payment, and once we were just told that we had to reimburse the ex bc she's already signed the kiddo up for the activity.


Easy: no receipt no money. If she is not happy about it is she gonna go to the enforcement office, her lawyer or court with no receipts in hand? And next time your stepchildren enroll in an activity let your H incur the expense so you don't have to wait on his ex.


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## Lon (Jun 6, 2011)

SB, like others said it varies by jurisdiction and I think also the type of arrangement.

Where I live, I have shared custody, 50/50, and my ex and I "pay each other" the recommended child support amounts from the lookup tables the province uses as a guideline for the courts. Since I pay more, I just send her the difference, but using this method it means that I pay a pro-rated proportion of extra childcare expenses (I pay 2/3rd she pays 1/3rd).

If however I did not have custody at least 40% of the time then she would be the primary custodian and would not "pay" me anything so I would send her a cheque for the full amount based on my income in the lookup tables, and that amount is intended to cover all extra expenses - so if I didn't share custody I would pay nothing extra beyond my monthly support payment. Of course if she was in financial hardship and there was a major unforeseen expense I would pay, if I refused the court would likely order me to anyway.


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## Shoto1984 (Apr 11, 2009)

It is typical in my state. I'm paying child support and agreed upon extras. I also agreed to pay the health insurance because it was the only way I would know for sure it would be paid.


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## Hardtohandle (Jan 10, 2013)

In NYC no

They add up both salaries and then determine the percentages of the total to see what each person share is .. They then use this to determine what each person should pay.. 

For example in my situation my Ex wife has to pay 14% of the other expenses..


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## Dread Pirate Roberts (May 22, 2012)

In Nevada, it's a straight percentage of your gross income - 25% for 2 kids, for example, up to a max per income band. And 1/2 of medical expenses. However, as my ex doesn't work, that means I pay the entire support amount.

And that's why (I have threads about this) I get really irritated when I'm asked to go "50/50" on expenses outside the support amount. Because it means that I end up paying for 100% of it...

DPR


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