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 New Jersey, child support is intended to cover the costs associated with raising a child, such as food, clothing, shelter, and education. However, the specifics of what child support payments must cover are not exhaustively detailed in the statutes. New Jersey law does recognize additional child-rearing expenses, and the state's child support guidelines allow for the consideration of costs like health care, child care, and transportation when determining the child support amount. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle extraordinary expenses, such as orthodontic care, extracurricular activities, and college costs, during divorce proceedings. While child support typically ends when a child turns 19 in New Jersey, unless the court orders it to continue under specific circumstances, parents can make arrangements for college expenses. This can include contributing to a 529 plan or other agreements made during legal proceedings. It's important for parents to address these issues proactively to avoid future conflicts.