If you’re preparing to file divorce papers and petition the court for child support, you might be wondering if the noncustodial parent is obligated to help pay for your child’s private school tuition. Or, perhaps you’ve already divorced and would like to modify the child support agreement to accommodate your child’s new school tuition. In either scenario, a child support lawyer may be able to advise you and prepare the necessary legal documents.
Basic Child Support
As a child support lawyer can tell you, child support is intended to make sure the custodial parent has the funds necessary to provide for their child’s cost of living expenses. The state’s guidelines base the amount of child support that the noncustodial parent must pay on the income of both parents and how much time the child sleeps at each house. Basic cost of living expenses for the child usually includes the following:
- Food
- Shelter
- Medical expenses from dental exams to emergency room visits to medications to checkups, etc.
- Clothing
- Public school costs such as meals, supplies, field trips, etc.
- General entertainment
Is the Other Parent Required to Include Private School Costs in Their Child Support?
The short answer is no. However, there are occasional exceptions. For example, your child might have special needs and their quality of life will be greatly harmed by them not attending a private school that can address their condition. If this scenario is similar to what you are facing, talk to a child support lawyer who can assess your situation to determine your legal options.
Voluntary Increase of Child Support for Private School Costs
If your child’s other parent wishes to help pay for your child’s private school costs, you may be best served by getting that in writing. Even better, your child support lawyer from our firm can petition the court for an official modification of the original child support terms to include the private school costs. This can protect you in the event that the other parent changes their mind sometime in the future. For instance, if they remarry and their own cost of living increases because they enter into a blended family, they may decide they do not want to continue helping to pay for the private school.
Contact an Experienced Child Support Lawyer Today
If you would like to explore your legal options surrounding child support for private school costs, reach out to a family attorney who is thoroughly familiar with the laws pertaining to child support and related issues. They can discuss your legal concerns regarding child support.