Can You Ask For Extra Child Support In The Summer?
Summer vacation is every kid's dream -- but it can be a single parent's nightmare. While the ordinary costs of the school year -- like clothing, school supplies, and after-school care are usually calculated into the child support you receive, the expenses of summer vacation often exceed those of the rest of the year.
Can you ask for additional child support to help cover the cost of summer camp, summer sports, and additional childcare? Absolutely. Here's what you need to know.
Summer's Extracurricular Activities
Your child's extracurricular expenses can quickly add up to a small fortune. Whether your child participates in a pee-wee soccer league, pitches for the kid's baseball team, or wants to attend a computer programming camp this summer, the associated costs can easily exceed the limits of your child support.
Participation on a sports team means paying for uniforms, shoes, physicals, travel, and meals. A summer camp for the weekend alone can cost several hundred dollars. If the camp spans eight or more weeks, you could be facing a $3,000 bill -- and that's before you tack on travel, clothes, and supplies!
What's important to remember is that these activities aren't done solely for entertainment -- they actually enrich your child's life and help them develop a variety of skills. These kinds of activities help kids learn teamwork, become more sociable, expand their interests, and explore hidden talents.
When deciding whether or not these activities merit a temporary increase in child support, the court will look at the amount of the additional expense, the benefits the child will receive, and whether or not the child would likely have participated in the activity if the parents had remained together. If the additional cost is minor, the activity or camp benefits the parent more than the child, or it's something that would likely have been out of reach even if the parents were together, the court may deny an increase.
Additional Childcare Costs
Even if your child doesn't participate in an extracurricular sport or go to a camp, summer can bring an increase in your childcare costs. While this doesn't usually apply to the average teenager, younger children can't be left unsupervised while the custodial parent is working. In summer, you have to find a way to cover the expense of a babysitter, nanny, or daycare during the time your child would normally be in school the rest of the year.
Again, one of the most important things the court will look at is whether the increase in cost is significant or not. If you're paying a grandparent, for example, summer care may not be expensive enough to justify a bump in the child support. If you're paying a professional daycare, however, and your summer fees are double those during school time, you have every right to ask for more support.
For more information on child support increases and how to ask for post-decree modifications, talk to your attorney today.