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 Illinois, child support is governed by state statutes designed to cover the basic needs of the child, which include food, clothing, shelter, and education. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act provides guidelines for determining the amount of child support, which considers the income of both parents and the needs of the child. While the law does not explicitly list every specific child-rearing cost, it does imply that child support should cover reasonable and necessary expenses related to the child's well-being. This can include health care, dental care, and other uninsured medical expenses. The custodial parent is typically expected to use child support payments to contribute to these costs. However, for additional expenses such as school supplies, extracurricular activities, and social activities, parents are encouraged to discuss and agree on how to share these costs, as they can often become points of contention. Regarding college expenses, Illinois law does allow courts to require parents to contribute to their child's post-secondary education expenses, which can include tuition, housing, and other associated costs. This can be addressed during divorce proceedings, and parents may also consider setting up a 529 plan as a way to save for their child's education. Child support obligations in Illinois generally end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, but can extend to cover college expenses if ordered by the court.