Some non-custodial parents balk at the thought of having to pay child support. They might think that the other parent is going to blow the money on other things. While some people might have valid concerns about where the child support money is going, there isn’t much they can do about that unless the child isn’t being taken care of.
It is expensive to raise children. The custodial parent has to provide shelter and food, school supplies and clothing, and other items that the child needs. That is where the child support money usually goes. It might be rather difficult for the non-custodial parent to accept that he or she has to pay for the rent or mortgage and utility payments; however, those are expenses that are necessary for the child.
When you think about it, the cost of raising a child is usually well over the amount that child support payments are ordered for. That means that the custodial parent has to allocate money for different things. For parents who are barely making ends meet, this sometimes means paying for items that are necessary with the money that is available at that time. This might make it seem like the parent is using child support for other things, but that might not be the case.
If you don’t think that the child support order is appropriate or that the funds aren’t being used properly, you might opt to turn to the court to determine if you have any options. Child support modifications and other possibilities might exist that can help you to handle the situation.
Source: FindLaw, “What Does Child Support Cover?,” accessed Oct. 07, 2016
