Editing Child support (section)

==Use of child support payments==
Most international and national child-support regulations recognize that every parent has an obligation to support their child. Under this obligation, both parents are expected to share the responsibility for their child(ren)'s [[Cost of raising a child|expenses]].<ref name="Definition of child support"/><ref name="acf.hhs.gov"/><ref name="csa.gov.au"/><ref name="ird.govt.nz"/><ref name="csa.gov.uk"/><ref name="capegateway.gov.za"/><ref name="ReferenceB"/> What differs between jurisdictions is which "expenses" are covered by "Child Support" and which are "Extraordinary" and fall outside the definition of "Child Support".

Support moneys collected are often assumed to be used for the [[Cost of raising a child|child's expenses]], such as food, clothing, and ordinary educational needs, but that is not required. Under California law, for example, child-support money may be used to "improve the standard of living of the custodial household" and the recipient does not have to account for how the money is spent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=fam&group=04001-05000&file=4050-4076|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817032823/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=fam&group=04001-05000&file=4050-4076|url-status=dead|title=California Family Code 4053|archive-date=August 17, 2010}}</ref>

Child support orders may earmark funds for specific items for the child, such as school fees, day care, and medical expenses. In some cases, obligors parents may pay for these items directly. For example, they may pay tuition fees directly to their child's school, rather than remitting money for the tuition to the obligee.<ref name="Child support agreement">[http://www.csa.gov.au/forms/1666.htm Child support agreement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014045150/http://www.csa.gov.au/forms/1666.htm |date=2009-10-14 }} Australia Child Support Agency</ref> Orders may also require each parent to assume a percentage of expenses for various needs. For instance, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, custodial parents are required to pay for the first $100 of annual uninsured medical costs incurred by each child. Only then will the courts consider authorizing child-support money from a non-custodial parent to be used for said costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529181950/http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=doragencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Individuals%2Band%2BFamilies&L2=Help%2B&%2BResources&L3=Child%2BSupport%2BEnforcement&sid=Ador|url-status=dead|title=Mass.gov|archive-date=May 29, 2007|website=Mass.gov}}</ref> Canadian courts provide child support through the "Federal Child Support Guidelines" based on income; however, "Extraordinary Expenses" can be ordered.

Many American universities also consider non-custodial parents partially responsible for paying college costs, and will consider parents' income in their financial aid determinations. In certain states, non-custodial parents may be ordered by the court to assist with these expenses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Divorce and Financial Aid|url=http://www.finaid.org/questions/divorce.phtml|work=finaid.org|publisher=FinAid|access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref> Canadian Universities all have different standards but essentially mimic the provincial standards required for student loan eligibility. While both parents are expected to provide support, "Custodial Parents" are rarely ordered to provide it whilst "Non-Custodial" parents are required to provide it under the law.

In the United States, obligors may receive a medical order that requires them to add their children to their health insurance plans. In some states both parents are responsible for providing medical insurance for the child/children.<ref>[http://www.cse.ri.gov/services/medical_support.php Medical support order] Rhode Island Office of Child Support Services</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">[https://newyorkchildsupport.com/child_support_services.html#medicalSupportEstEnf "Medical Support Establishment and Enforcement"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003203945/https://newyorkchildsupport.com/child_support_services.html#medicalSupportEstEnf |date=2012-10-03 }} New York State Division of Child Support Enforcement</ref> If both parents possess health coverage, the child may be added to the more beneficial plan, or use one to supplement the other.<ref name=Arkansas>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/child_support/pdf/ocse_policy_manual.pdf|title=Department of Finance and Administration|website=www.arkansas.gov|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref> Children of active or retired members of the U.S. armed forces are also eligible for health coverage as military dependents, and may be enrolled in the DEERS program at no cost to the obligor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/new/reserve_activation.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010125800/http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/new/reserve_activation.html|url-status=dead|title=Have a Child Support Order and Been Recently Activated?|archive-date=October 10, 2007}}</ref>

Accountability regulations for child support money vary by country and state. In some jurisdictions, such as Australia, child support recipients are trusted to use support payments in the best interest of the child, and thus are not required to provide details on specific purchases.<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.au/fastfacts/1194.pdf FAQ on expenses and payments] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326170114/http://www.csa.gov.au/fastfacts/1194.pdf |date=2009-03-26 }} Australia Child Support Agency</ref> In [[California]], there is no limitations, accountability, or other restriction on how the obligee spends the child support received, it is merely presumed that the money is spent on the child.<ref>{{cite web|title=Family Code Section 4050-4076|url=http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=fam&group=04001-05000&file=4050-4076|work=leginfo.ca.gov|publisher=State of California|access-date=22 March 2014|date=July 1, 1992|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817032823/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=fam&group=04001-05000&file=4050-4076|archive-date=17 August 2010}}</ref> However, in other jurisdictions, a child support recipient might legally be required to give specific details on how child support money is spent at the request of the court or the non-custodial parent. In the United States, 10 states ([[Colorado]], [[Delaware]], [[Florida]], [[Indiana]], [[Louisiana]], [[Missouri]], [[Nebraska]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Oregon]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]]) allow courts to demand an accounting on expenses and spending from custodial parents. Additionally, [[Alabama]] courts have authorized such accounting under certain specific circumstances.