What is the best way to use your child support payments?

When you and your former spouse reach an agreement about how much child support you will receive each month in California, you may immediately begin considering what you will use the money for. One of the most important things to remember is to never count on receiving child support payments when you create your budget. This way, you are not struggling to make ends meet if there is a month when your ex is delinquent on payments. 

When you do receive money to care for your child, you can use it however you would like. According to LiveAbout, even though the courts will not tell you how you have to spend the money, your efforts to spend each payment wisely can minimize the financial stress you experience and help you to provide optimal opportunities for your child to excel and grow despite the changes in your family dynamic. Some of the expenses you may consider putting child support toward include the following:

• Extracurricular activities that require the use of equipment or supplies, as well as fees to pay for lessons for sports, musical instruments or other activities. 

• Day-to-day expenses including food, clothing and transportation costs.

• Medical insurance costs or contributions to a rainy-day fund that can be used if your child is involved in an emergency. 

• Daycare costs if you have a babysitter for your child while you go to work each day. 

The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice.