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, 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.

Because child support obligations generally end when the child turns 18, moves to attend college, dies, or gets married, college expenses are generally not child support obligations. But because college tuition and the associated living expenses are substantial, some parents attempt to address these costs in divorce or other legal proceedings. Depending on the age of the child at the time of divorce and the parents’ financial resources, the funding of a 529 plan (qualified tuition plan) for the child is one option for parents to consider.

In Alaska, child support is intended to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, shelter, clothing, education, and other necessities. The Alaska Child Support Services Division (CSSD) oversees the enforcement and collection of child support. While the state's guidelines provide a framework for calculating child support payments, they do not explicitly itemize costs such as school supplies, health care, braces, dental care, uninsured medical expenses, transportation, daycare, and extracurricular activities. These additional expenses are often negotiated between parents during the establishment of the child support order or through subsequent modifications. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle these costs to avoid future conflicts. In Alaska, child support obligations typically end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, but not beyond 19 years of age. College expenses are not automatically included in child support obligations in Alaska. However, parents can make arrangements for post-secondary education costs, such as contributing to a 529 plan, as part of their divorce or custody agreement. It is important for parents to address these issues proactively and consider seeking the advice of an attorney to ensure that all potential costs are fairly addressed in their child support arrangements.