Legal Question in Family Law in New York

What is Child Support used for ..Legal Definition

I have an EX who keeps telling me to pay bills with the child support I get from her. I am going to file for support but now have this nagging question of What exactly Child Support is to be spent on. Is it for food and clothing and medical for my children or what ???????


Asked on 12/14/05, 12:43 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Lawrence Silverman Law Firm of Lawrence Silverman

Re: What is Child Support used for ..Legal Definition

Child support expenditures can include the child's food, clothing, and medical expenses;

however, child support can include other types of expenses some of which I list below.

Section 236-B of New York State's Domestic Relations Law defines child support as the sums paid for the "care, maintenance and education of any unemancipated child" up to 21 years old "pursuant to court order or [court] decree . . . or, pursuant to a valid agreement between the parties."

Child support expenditures can include expenditures for the child's food, clothing, medical expenses, dental expenses, optometric expenses, education, the child's hobbies, the child's recreational activities, the child's extracurricular activities, and the child's social activities.

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Answered on 12/15/05, 1:52 am
Seth Kaufman Kaufman PLLC

Re: What is Child Support used for ..Legal Definition

Child support can be spent however the custodial parent sees fit, except that certain components, known as "add-ons", are based upon and directed toward certain actual expenses for child care, medical care and education. Basic child support is essentially intended to subsidize he household where the child primarily resides; the payor has no say in where the money goes. Feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss your particular situation in further detail.

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Answered on 12/17/05, 10:45 pm


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