Child support is generally intended to help with the costs of raising the child—including food, clothing, shelter, and education—but laws vary from state to state and are often unclear on the extent to which child support payments are intended to help the custodial parent pay for half of school supplies, health care, braces, glasses, dental care, uninsured medical care, transportation (car), daycare, sports camps, cheerleading camps, school trips, social activities, and extracurricular activities.

Most state laws (statutes) don’t identify the specific child-rearing costs to which the custodial parent is required to contribute payment from child support and other resources—and because these issues are frequently the source of parental conflict, parents should identify all expected future costs and agree to the process for sharing them.

Childcare expenses incurred by the custodial parent are generally not required to be paid by the noncustodial parent in addition to child support—unless the childcare is required for the custodial parent’s work, training, or school—in which case the noncustodial parent may be required to pay for 50% of the childcare, for example.

In Colorado, child support is designed to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, clothing, shelter, and education. The state's child support guidelines take into account both parents' incomes, the number of children, and the time each parent spends with the children. While the guidelines provide a framework for determining the amount of support, they do not explicitly list every expense related to raising a child. Expenses such as school supplies, healthcare, dental care, and extracurricular activities are typically expected to be covered by child support payments, but the specifics can vary and may need to be addressed during the child support order process. Childcare costs that are necessary for the custodial parent to work, seek training, or attend school are often shared by both parents, and the noncustodial parent may be required to pay a portion of these costs, which can be up to 50%. To prevent conflicts, it is advisable for parents to discuss and agree upon how to handle these additional expenses and include such agreements in their child support order or parenting plan.