Back-to-school season is right around the corner, and that means it's time for parents to start stocking up on school supplies. But what about parents who are the primary custodian of their child? Are they expected to pay out of pocket for their child’s school supplies? In this blog post, our child support attorneys at Law Offices of Christopher L. Hoglin, P.C. discuss if child support payments are meant to help fund school supplies and how parents should prepare for school supply season.
Purpose of Child Support Payments
Child support is a court-ordered payment made by one parent to the other for the financial support of their child. This includes expenses such as food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. But what about school supplies? School supplies are not specifically outlined in California’s child support guidelines but are often considered an educational expense the court can order the parents to split. So while child support payments are not explicitly meant to cover school supplies, they can be used towards that expense if need be.
Preparing For Back-to-School
In 2021, the average household spent $848.90 on school supplies for their children. With how expensive it can be to provide these necessary educational materials, it is important to start budgeting for the back-to-school season as early as possible.
Begin by making a list of all the supplies your child will need for the upcoming year or by reviewing the list provided by your child’s teachers before the start of the school year. Then, start checking sales and comparing prices to get the best deals. Ordering online pickup or next-day delivery for school supplies can help spare tears when selecting notebook colors, specific colored pencils, and other specific supplies required by the teacher. You can also pick up packs of pencils, pens, notebooks, and other daily supplies at the store when you notice them on sale and have them on hand for school supply shopping season, when these items may be harder to find.
Year-round, you can set aside a certain amount of money each month to put towards your child's school supplies or other educational needs, such as field trips, taking the SAT or ACT, applying to colleges, or extracurricular activities. You should also begin to save up for a laptop computer or tablet for your child’s educational use if you have not already provided one for your child or believe your child’s computer will need to be replaced.
Law Offices of Christopher L. Hoglin, P.C. Child Support Attorneys
Providing for your child can be expensive, especially with the need for specific school supplies or other educational resources your child may need. Our child support attorneys understand that you may need assistance when providing your child with school supplies, fees for extracurricular activities, and more. We can help you review your child custody payments and determine if you are eligible to request an increase in child support.
Are you planning to purchase school supplies for your children? Schedule a free consultation with our child support attorneys today by calling (626) 653-4075 or contacting us online.