# Child support and Daycare



## Toolate131 (Oct 24, 2017)

Recently I was awarded a child support payment but the amount doesn't even cover the monthly amount of daycare for my 2 kids, daycare adds up to be about $500 more than the child support payment.
Should my XW also split the cost of daycare along with paying me child support? Nothing in the judgement mentions daycare and XW isn't responding.

Thanks.


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## happy2gether (Dec 6, 2015)

child support is to pay the other parent's fair share of costs, not to pay 100% of everything. If daycare isn't in the order, and your ex doesn't voluntarily pay a portion of it, then you are just going to have to eat the costs. You and your attorney should have asked for it before the order was finalized, judges don't like it when parents keep coming back with "oh and another expense I need covered but didn't ask for in the previous actions". 

And to be honest, since it is the XW paying support it is even harder to get more money. it shouldn't be that way, but the courts do favor the mother more so than the father. Now if she is making a huge salary compared to yours, there might be a shot but you should also be prepared for a big legal fight over the matter.


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

I would think that should have been spelled out in the custody/support agreement. Your attorney should have known to clarify who pays for what. Do you split daycare expenses? Who pays for the children's health insurance? Who pays any remaining medical costs after insurance? Are fees and expenses for things like extracurricular activities split? Who pays for private school, if that's in the mix? Who pays expenses for things like field trips, school dances, transportation costs once they're old enough? Which of you claims the children on your taxes and does it alternate yearly? Does child support extend only to each child's 18th birthday, or through the end of their senior year of high school, or through college? 

All of those questions, and any others that are relevant to your particular family's situation, should have been addressed in the custody and support paperwork. If they weren't, you may have to take your ex-wife back to court in order to attempt to get any further financial help. Of course, then there's the matter of actually collecting, which can be a whole other kettle of fish.


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## Toolate131 (Oct 24, 2017)

happy2gether said:


> child support is to pay the other parent's fair share of costs, not to pay 100% of everything. If daycare isn't in the order, and your ex doesn't voluntarily pay a portion of it, then you are just going to have to eat the costs. You and your attorney should have asked for it before the order was finalized, judges don't like it when parents keep coming back with "oh and another expense I need covered but didn't ask for in the previous actions".
> 
> And to be honest, since it is the XW paying support it is even harder to get more money. it shouldn't be that way, but the courts do favor the mother more so than the father. Now if she is making a huge salary compared to yours, there might be a shot but you should also be prepared for a big legal fight over the matter.


We make about the same $$
XW doesn't exist to the courts at the moment, she was found in default for failing to appear and didn't attend the prove-up either.
Was just adding up all my bills and the daycare is wrecking me. Thanks for the reply.


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## MovingForward (Jan 19, 2017)

In AZ daycare is in the calculation, a good lawyer or mediator should have made sure all these loose ends had been tied up so it is clear as possible so no arguments.

I noticed after my agreement was done that a lot of things should have been made clearer.

Maybe one day a bunch of us on here can all get together and make a post of all the stuff to make sure is included in a court order.


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## Broken_in_Brooklyn (Feb 21, 2013)

TooLate, 

Just an idea,

Not sure how many hours a week you have your children in daycare and what teh yearly cost will be but consider an aupair. The agency fee is high(7.9K one time fee ) but they do work 45 hours a week for a year at about 200 a week plus room and board.

Maybe it works for you.


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

How in the world did you get out of family courts without this being addressed? When I went through there was not a cent of my paycheck not accounted for and no expense not stipulated.


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

Are you calculating in the tax credit you may qualify for?


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