What exactly is child support for?

Question

I know it's for the support of the kids. But what are the funds suppose to cover? We give my husbands ex $800 a month for two children, one 13yrs. old and one 16yrs. old and she claims it's not enough. But that's what the court ordered and his income hasn't changed. He now has my income, but that doesn't count towards her child support amount. However, I don't see were the money has be spent on them. Funds are for: Food, clothes, school supplies, utilities, sports, (what else???) Because to me it seems like we are also taking care of the ex's needs. We have told her if it's to financially difficult, to please have the kids come live with us. Right now we get them every other weekend and 1/2 of summer break.

Answer 1

Kids are expensive but not that expensive.

Please don't listen to all these people preaching about how EXPENSIVE it is to raise kids, etc.  I've been on both sides of the fence.

I was engaged once to a man who had to pay child support.  We paid $600 a month for 2 small children.  It was a lot of money to us because neither of us made much, but we made it work.  She was always nagging us for more money but our bills were literally getting neglected to pay her child support so we couldn't do it.

Anyway, fast forward.. now I'm married with a man and I have an 8 year old step son.  He lives with us full time, and we receive not ONE PENNY of child support.  We don't take her to court to enforce it because we don't REALLY need it.  Sure, we live check to check and have $0 in our savings account, but it's all right.  We get by and our son gets everything he needs.  It's really not that expensive, trust me.  $800 is more than enough.  Sure if the kids were in day care it would be a lot more rough but they're old enough to care for themselves.

Keep sticking to the child support order, and do not pay her a penny more than what was ordered.  If she's so hard up for cash, she should go and get herself a higher paying job, or a second job.  She shouldn't be relying on the father of her children to support her or them -- she needs to be supporting herself 100% and her kids 50%.  He is paying more than enough, and don't listen to all the naysayers on here who try to tell you it's not enough money.  If myself and my husband can do it taking home only $4000 per month COMBINED INCOME than so can his ex wife.  Yeesh.

Good luck -- and people seriously quit trying to act like it's so hard.  Sure it's difficult but quit trying to get sympathy by complaining about how hard it is to raise a child and not be getting child support or not be getting enough child support.  It really isn't as difficult as everyone makes it out to be, they just know that people tend to have a soft spot for this situation so they whine about it to get as much sympathy as possible.  You're doing the right thing -- don't worry!

Answer 2

It goes for rent/mortgage payment, all utilities, gas, food, clothes, school tuition, school lunches...I am a single mom of 3 and believe me he is NOT supporting me just the kids....The older they get, the more expensive they get....If you had them full time then you would be wanting this support money from her.....

Answer 3

its for the kids... unfortunately a lot of time it get spent on the ex wife's new boyfriend's drug habit

Answer 4

What else? Why don't you and your husband try raising 2 kids on $800 a month. THEN you will know what else!!

Answer 5

Suck it up!

You knew he had kids, too d**n bad!

YOU don't decide what its for but if you want a list, here's a short one....I could go on and on:

Roof over the kids heads.

Meals in the kids stomachs

Electicity the kids use

Water the kids use

natural gas the kids use

Car that drives the kids around

Insurance for the car that drives the kids around

Gas for the car that drives the kids around

Gifts for the kids birthdays and Christmas

Clothes for the kids to wear

School expenses for the kids

extra curricular activities for the kids

Medicines and toiletries for the kids

Medical expenses not covered by Insurance for the kids

Need I keep going?????!

Answer 6

You are correct, you are not responsible for her own personal expenses, like shopping at the most expensive shops in the mall, taking herself on vacations alone or with her BF, things like that.If she can't afford to live on that kind of money , then its high time she gets herself a job so she can support living beyond her means.I bet the kids get little or no money from the support, sh'es probably spending it on her self thats why sh'es asking for more, because she is greedy.I know how greedy exe's can be beleive me because my BF's ex wants 350 a week,thats 1400 dollars a month, she does not sepnd it on her kids, most of it she spends on herself because she takes her bf on many vacations, only will shop at the most expensive stores,too bad my BF doe's not make that kind of money, over my dead body will he pay 1400 dollars amonth for that greedy B**CH,if it kills me, I will make sure she only gets what she has been getting, yeah I know, I sound bitter, because I ma, how does that B**tch warrant getting that kind of money when all I got when I was getting support for my 2 kids was a whopping $80.00 per month? s***w her, she needs to get another job to support her lavish lifestyle and stop trying to sponge off her hubby, enough is enough, I know for a fact that my bf's ex does not spend it on the kids, because they tell us all about it, and her house is payed for too.Selfish, selfish women,they should make the ones who cry for more money show receipts as to where the money is going, I think my BF's ex would be horrified,lol!!

Answer 7

Child support is suppose to cover food and shelter.  There is no other categories it is suppose to take care of.  Most people receiving child support think it is suppose to cover every aspect of the child's like - like clothes, sports gear, school stuff, etc., but the basic requirement is for food and shelter.  When the court declares the amount to be paid, it is determined by half of what the courts believe is needed to support the child.  For example, if the judge determines a child requires $600.00 a money in support, that amount is split between the two parents.  So the one that has the child receives $300.00 a month.

Answer 8

Heads up to all those that replied with a big 'eff you' to Luisa... Here's the scoop....BOTH parents have an obligation to contribute to the financial support of their children.

The Mother has an obligation to work and support herself and her children.  The $800 wouldn't be the only form of income the Mother would be relying on.  The $800 would be in addition to her salary and the money is meant to assist in supporting the children.

Too much judgment and finger pointing and hysterics!  This is an emotional area, but the Mother in question has a 13 and a 16 year old.  Surely she also works to provide for herself and her children.  To me this does sound like a selfish woman jealous of the new marriage.

Child support is important and the non-custodial parent should certainly contribute to the financial upbringing of the children based on his/her income.  HOWEVER, the Mother has the responsibility to contribute as well.

Answer 9

The child support is intended to put a roof over their head, have food in their stomach and clothing on their backs.

Kids are expensive.

Answer 10

The biggest thing you forgot is shelter (your ex pays a percent of his ex wife rent or mortgage per kid)  

Answer 11

You are right, it was designed to give the "ex-spouse" who was not making as much as the other spouse "help" with raising the kids since they will be living with her 90% of the time.  The courts calculate it based on percentages.  Example:  20% for food, 20% for clothing, etc etc.  It is always based on a percentage of the income and debt ratios so if your husband makes alot of money, the more money the ex gets.

Unfortunately, there is no regulation on HOW the ex spends the money.  Some parents cheat the kids and spend the money on themselves.  Which of course is not right?

I personally have set up a savings account for my child support payemtns.  I put it away in there and when the kids are in need of something over and above what I can pay myself, I take from that account.  As the kids get older, their needs will change so it's there and available.

The good news is, the ex can't request more child support unless she can prove it on paper and go back to court as to why she can't support the children off that.  She's not supposed to totally depend on child support.  I know ex's who go buy a house and base the mortgage on the child support payment.  Wrong move.  So evidently she's probably depending on the child support payment instead of using it as a supplement.

Answer 12

If they would like to buy $800 worth of crack, they can.  It's none of your business.  The courts says that your husband has to share part of his income until the kids are out of college.  The courts do not get involved on how it is spent.  

You could ask for a review and the court could make a new ruling but you stand a very good chance of the amount going up just like the cost of living, gas, housing, consumer goods in general.    Be careful what you ask for.  

Answer 13

well ok here i for one thinks the system is messed up to start with. here is the thing yes i do thinks he is paying way to much. child support to me should go to the the child's needs. Here is the thing. if you never had kids you would have a roof over ur head and all that good stuff before a kid is born. and no rent and stuff just don't go up because u have a kid. a car u would have adn so on. Ok say his kids would come and live with you that wouldn't even included the rent water etc etc.  child support is for clothes, lunches, filed trips, sports, food that they want and should be made to have a account set up for them when they get older. they will have money for a care adn for school. over half the ppl that collect the money from child support don't even use it for the child to start with. My husband pays over 400 a month for one child. we have 3 together. i can say i don't pay over 400 a month for 3 kids. because all the other stuff they don't inculde on the payee end to start with. He was getting his daughter at one point, until the mother to move out of state for herself. and his daughter didnt even have her own bed and slept in the living room with her mom on a roll out couch, she had one pair of summer PJ's shared underwear with her cuz. and had to wear clothes that was to small. mother don't work lives with her mother now with the child. and the only x-mas she gets is from her grandmother. gets free lunches from school in no sport of any type. so u tell me the money is going for that child. and he's even getting the kids and ur husband still pays that much. if it was the other way around he would be lucky if he got 200 bucks a month for the kids if he had them full time. and u are taking care of the ex's needs in my eyes. because that is what my husband is doing. paying for his ex's needs. for someone that don't work and manage to get ur hair done new clothes all the time and this and that but the kid has nothing u tell me.

Answer 14

Could you support yourself for $200 week?  (assumming he's paying $100/kid and she's paying $100/kid).  Here are some solutions if he can't feed hsi own children.  Tell him to get a better job, get a second job, get rid of cable TV and any other unnecessary expenses and quit whining.  If you think that $800 even comes close to being enough to support two kids, your head is in the clouds.  

Answer 15

The cost of raising a child is very expensive today.  The support is for housing, food, clothing, day care expenses,, etc anything to help raise that child to adulthood.