Child support uses aren’t usually monitored

Parents who have to pay child support might wonder exactly what they are paying for. If you are paying these payments, you probably want to know what your child’s other parent can do with the money you send. The answer to that is that they need to use the money to pay for the child’s necessities and other things pertaining to the child; however, there usually isn’t oversight to how the child support payments are used.

The parent who receives the child support can use the money to pay the rent or mortgage so the child has a place to live. They can use it to pay utilities or to pay for the child’s clothing. Child support can pay for medical care, school supplies, extracurricular activities and almost anything else that has to do with the child.

If the child is in daycare or has a sitter, the child support payments can be used to pay those fees. It can also be used to pay for transportation for the child, which can include getting the child to or from visits with the parent who pays the child support.

It is also possible that the child support payments could be used to pay for entertainment options for the child. This could include various things, such as buying a computer, paying for the Internet or going to the movies.

If you pay child support and your child’s basic needs aren’t being met, you might decide that you want to find out where the child support is going. You can petition the court to find out. Generally, this can only be done if the child’s basic needs aren’t being met. Before you petition the court for child support matters, make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities so you can take appropriate action.

Source: FindLaw, “What Does Child Support Cover?,” accessed Sep. 19, 2016

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