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 Iowa, child support is intended to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, clothing, shelter, and education. However, the specifics of what child support payments must cover are not exhaustively detailed in the law. Iowa's child support guidelines do take into account the income of both parents and the needs of the child when determining the amount of support. While routine medical care is typically included in child support, additional costs such as orthodontics, uninsured medical expenses, and extracurricular activities are often not explicitly covered and may require separate agreements between the parents. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle these additional expenses. Regarding post-secondary education, Iowa law does not automatically include college expenses as part of child support obligations. However, parents can make provisions for education expenses in their divorce decree or through the establishment of a 529 college savings plan. It's important for parents to address these issues proactively to avoid future conflicts.