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 Virginia, child support is governed by state statutes that establish guidelines to calculate the financial support owed by the non-custodial parent. The primary intention of child support is to cover the basic needs of the child, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Virginia's child support guidelines also consider the cost of health care coverage and may include additional amounts for child care costs related to the custodial parent's work or education. While the guidelines provide a framework, they do not explicitly list every expense related to raising a child, such as costs for school supplies, extracurricular activities, and social events. These types of expenses are often addressed during the negotiation of the child support order or through subsequent modifications. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle these additional expenses. In cases where parents cannot agree, the court may decide based on the best interests of the child. It is important for parents to keep in mind that the court has the discretion to order support that deviates from the guidelines if it is in the child's best interest.