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 Kansas, child support is intended to cover the costs associated with raising a child, such as food, housing, clothing, and education. However, Kansas statutes do not provide an exhaustive list of specific child-rearing expenses that must be covered by child support payments. The Kansas Child Support Guidelines do offer some guidance on what child support should cover, but they leave room for interpretation and flexibility. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle additional expenses like school supplies, healthcare, extracurricular activities, and other costs not explicitly outlined in the guidelines. When it comes to college expenses, Kansas law does not typically require parents to provide support beyond the age of majority, which is 18, or high school graduation, whichever occurs later. However, parents can voluntarily agree to contribute to post-secondary education costs, and such agreements can be incorporated into a divorce decree or other legal orders. One way parents can prepare for future college expenses is by contributing to a 529 college savings plan, which is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs.