Average cost of raising a child each month?

Question

Daycare NOT included how much should I guestimate to spend monthly on my newborn daughter?

Her father and I are disputing child support. He wants to pay half of the costs, I say 20% of his income. What would be more helpful to me? The 1/2 of the cost to raise her or 20% of his income - which was 50k last year.

Answer 1

$100-150 for diapers

Formula if not breest fedding $200

wipes and poweder $50

Then there clothes and bedding and towels, bottels and other things that youll need to replace along the way that wont be every month things...also medical bills to figure in. If it were me I would take the 20% but he should be helping with daycare too.

sorry I forgot to include this but the roof above your head and power and water are also some things that are part of caring for a child. I understand you would need this anyway but you need a two bedroom place not a one and other things like that. So its not just daipers and food and clothes.

Good luck!

Answer 2

It is fair that he pay half no matter what he makes. Evidently you were not married? or not married very long? so why should he pay more than half? Document your expenses now and keep a record. Right now she costs nothing but in the next decade it will be a lot!

Answer 3

half the costs. 20 % is asking way to much considering you said day care not included and based on income.. it doesnt go by income, especialy since,everyone makes a different amount of money. half the cost is perfect. it is exactly even for the both of you. blessings

Answer 4

Lets see, 50k  income after all social security taxes and everything else at the BEST BEST BEST case would be 45k, which it won't. It'll be much less but even out of net 45k 20% is just 9k now 9k/12 months is 750$ a month. More likely in the real case it'll be somewhere between 650-700 a month. Is that enough for the baby? Consider all teh costs and see, if you gonna spemnd on her more than that, do it (knowing 50% will coem from him) if not, go for the 20%. Whatever you do, make sure its the best for the baby, and not just worst for the baby's "sperm contributer"

Answer 5

Get a lawyer.  

File a court document stating the decision.  If he is not with you.  But the 20% will be more benefitial to you now.  However please consider he could leave that job for another lower paying one.  My attorney calculated what the 17% (NY state) would be of his 50k salary and that became the number that was paid every month.  Not a percentage of...  Make sure you put in a provision to revise every 3 or 5 years.

Answer 6

There are a lot of factors to consider, but below is a basic breakdown.

Box of 112 diapers = $22 x 3 per month = $66

Large can of formula = $28 x 4 per month = $112

Box of 400 wipes = $10

Answer 7

Well ...get what the law decides to give you. It's better a bird in hands than a hundred flying free.  Raising a child is very costly, it depends on each child circumstances like medical bills, food, clothing etc.  I would say 1/2 of the cost to raise her ...because the price of things varies ...goes up or down ...and wait until it's time to go to school ...20 % of his income is cheap ...he could lose his job and you'll get nothing or he might decide to work for less money and get paid more under the table and then what ?  last year was 50 K, this year might be less ...and with the value of the US dollar going down and things gettig more expensive.

Better get 1/2 of the cost of raising your child ...no matter what you'll come better off.l  If cost goes up you'll still get 1/2, you get more.  But if cost goes up and you get 20 % of his income ,  you'll get the same and will have less money to pay the bills.

Do your math.