When parents negotiate child support during a divorce, the focus is typically on covering a child’s basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. In Virginia, the courts use child support guidelines established by the state’s General Assembly to determine the amount of support. These guidelines take into account the child’s needs and each parent’s income.
Does Child Support Cover Extracurricular Activities in Virginia?
In today’s world, many children start extracurricular activities at a young age—whether it’s piano lessons in preschool or soccer in kindergarten. As children grow, these expenses can add up, from little league fees to high school sports, dance recitals, and academic camps. These additional costs are often a burden for the custodial parent, but does child support cover these expenses?
The answer is generally no. Virginia’s standard child support formula does not usually account for extracurricular activities, such as:
- School photos and yearbooks
- Registration fees, uniforms, and equipment for sports
- Select sports, traveling teams, and club fees
- Private music, dance, or sports lessons
- Instrument rental or purchase fees
- Recital fees and performance costumes
- Enrichment, academic, and summer camps
- Tutoring costs
- College funds
- A child’s first car and insurance
Can You Include Extracurricular Expenses in a Child Support Agreement?
While child support guidelines don’t automatically include these extra costs, parents can negotiate their own divorce settlement and custody agreement to address how to share the expenses of extracurricular activities. If both parents agree, they can include a provision in the settlement to split these costs throughout the child’s upbringing. However, this must be a mutual agreement—courts typically won’t order extracurricular expenses to be covered as part of standard child support.
If the parents do not come to an agreement about sharing these costs during the divorce negotiations, the parent who wants the child to participate in the activity will likely bear the responsibility for the expenses. In other words, if the custodial parent signs the child up for a sport or class, they are typically expected to cover the fees unless the other parent agrees to contribute.
Avoid Future Conflicts by Planning Ahead
To prevent ongoing disputes over extracurricular activities, it’s wise to include these expenses in your divorce settlement. Clear terms about who will cover what costs can save headaches down the road and help avoid constant battles over who pays for which activities.
The experienced family law attorneys at the DiPietro Family Law Group can guide you through these important discussions and ensure that your settlement covers your child’s needs.
Contact us online or call (888) 530-4374 today to schedule a consultation with a caring professional.
