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, glasses, 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.

In Idaho, child support is designed to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, clothing, shelter, and education. The Idaho Child Support Guidelines are used to calculate the amount of support, taking into account the income of both parents and the needs of the child. While the guidelines provide a framework for determining child support, they do not explicitly list every expense related to raising a child. Expenses such as school supplies, health care, orthodontics, glasses, dental care, uninsured medical costs, transportation, daycare, and extracurricular activities are not itemized in the statutes. However, Idaho law does recognize that children should share in the standard of living of both parents, which may implicitly include these additional costs. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon the handling of these expenses, and such agreements can be incorporated into the child support order. If parents cannot agree, the courts may decide on a case-by-case basis. It is advisable for parents to consult with an attorney to understand how the guidelines apply to their specific situation and to ensure that all potential costs are considered in the child support arrangement.