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 Nebraska, 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 are used to calculate the amount of support a noncustodial parent must pay, and these guidelines take into account the income of both parents and the needs of the child. While Nebraska law does not provide an exhaustive list of specific child-rearing expenses, the court may consider additional costs such as health care, dental care, and childcare when determining child support obligations. Childcare expenses necessary for the custodial parent to work, seek training, or attend school can be factored into the child support calculation, and the noncustodial parent may be required to contribute to these costs. It is important for parents to discuss and agree upon how to handle the sharing of additional child-related expenses to avoid future conflicts. An attorney can provide guidance on how Nebraska law may apply to individual circumstances and assist in drafting an agreement that addresses the division of these costs.