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 Minnesota, child support is intended to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, clothing, shelter, education, and other necessary care. The state uses guidelines based on the income of both parents and the needs of the child to determine the amount of support. While the law provides a framework for the basic expenses, it does not typically specify how child support should be allocated for specific costs such as school supplies, health care, braces, uninsured medical expenses, transportation, daycare, and extracurricular activities. These additional expenses often require parents to communicate and negotiate outside of the basic child support calculation to ensure that the child's needs are met. In Minnesota, child support obligations generally end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, but not beyond age 20. College expenses are not typically included in child support obligations in Minnesota. However, parents can make arrangements for college expenses, such as contributing to a 529 plan, as part of their divorce or separation agreement. It is advisable for parents to discuss and agree upon the handling of these future costs to avoid conflicts.