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 Utah, child support is designed to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, housing, clothing, and medical care. Utah's child support guidelines provide a framework for calculating support based on the income of both parents and the number of children. While the guidelines establish the minimum amount of support, they do not explicitly list every child-rearing expense. However, additional expenses such as child care costs, health care, and health insurance premiums are typically factored into the support calculation. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle other costs like school supplies, extracurricular activities, and uninsured medical expenses. These can be addressed in the child support order or through separate agreements. As for college expenses, Utah law does not generally require parents to provide support for a child in college, as the obligation typically ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later. However, parents can voluntarily agree to contribute to a 529 plan or other college savings plan as part of their divorce settlement or child support agreement.