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 New York, child support is designed to cover a child's basic needs, which include food, clothing, and shelter. The New York Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) provides guidelines for calculating child support payments based on the parents' income and the number of children. These payments are also intended to cover health insurance and medical expenses, including dental and vision care. While the law provides a framework for the basic child support obligation, it does not explicitly list every expense related to raising a child, such as costs for school supplies, extracurricular activities, and social events. As a result, parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle these additional expenses. If parents cannot agree, they may seek a court's intervention to resolve disputes. The court may consider the child's best interests and the parents' financial circumstances when making decisions about additional child-related expenses. It is advisable for parents to consult with an attorney to understand their rights and obligations regarding child support and the sharing of child-rearing costs in New York.