Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

What does child support payments go towards

My husband and I are in a trial serperation. We have not filed anything legal yet. He has agreed to pay ''child support and spousal maintance'' out of honor. However a past medical bill came due in his name and he says it is my responsibility to pay it since I have the children full time that is what he is paying support for. I disagree. It is my understanding that child support is to provide food, clothing and housing for our children. All past debt and medical bills are on top of that. Who is correct? Where can I go to show him proof of what child support is for and what is extra. Thank you.


Asked on 1/01/07, 6:00 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Christopher Steuart IT Forensics, Inc.

Re: What does child support payments go towards

Your statement is unclear and provides inadequate information to say whether the bill you are writing about is a debt or a child support obligation. First, it is unclear from your statement who the medical bill is for. If it is one of the children, some component of that is in child support and some part may be uninsured medical expense. You should review the child support worksheet, where the calculations show how these types of obligations are divided up for payment. Next, it is unclear whether this was an expense from before the separation or after the separation; that to would make a difference in how the obligation is characterized (as either a community debt or as child support obligation).

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Answered on 1/01/07, 7:01 pm


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