As a single parent post-divorce, it is rather likely that you are also a working parent. With this, you may not have any nearby family who can care for your child during your working hours. Plus, you may be unable to move closer to said family due to your child custody arrangement in place. This means that you likely have to send your young child to daycare, which evidently costs money. Read on to discover whether daycare is included in an order and how a seasoned Bergen County child support attorney at McNerney & McAuliffe can fight on your behalf for fair and just payments.
Is daycare included in a child support order by the state of New Jersey?
Firstly, a daycare is a safe and nurturing environment, that is supervised by early childhood educators, where your child can stay while you are at work. This may be the most ideal place to send your child to until they are old enough to be enrolled in a kindergarten program (i.e., 5 years old). With that being said, the child support payments you receive may serve as a vital financial source for your child’s educational needs; and enrolling your child in a daycare program may work to fulfill these needs.
Your former spouse (i.e., noncustodial parent) may argue against having to pay for your child’s daycare by claiming that this is not considered an educational program. With this, you may counter that the program offers an academic foundation for your child, where they have the opportunity to learn and practice social skills, emotional skills, problem-solving skills, etc. Or, your former spouse may argue that hiring a nanny would be a more cost-effective option. With this, you may again point to the benefits of having your child socially interact in a daycare environment.
What other factors are considered for a child support order?
As your child gets older, child support payments to cover daycare costs may transition to elementary, high school, and even college tuition costs. This is in addition to the cost of after-school programs, extracurricular activities, school supplies, and any other education-related expenses.
What’s more, the New Jersey family court may also consider the below costs when deciding on a fair and just child support order:
- The cost of your child’s basic living needs:
- Housing (i.e., rent/mortgage payments, utility payments, etc).
- Clothing (i.e., school uniforms, sports uniforms, everyday streetwear, etc).
- Food (i.e., breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack foods; especially if your child has special dietary needs).
- The cost of your child’s healthcare needs:
- Medical care (i.e., insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles, etc).
- Prescription medications for serious diagnoses and over-the-counter treatments for common illnesses.
At the end of the day, your fight for child support requires a competent Bergen County family law attorney in your corner. So please get in touch with us at McNerney & McAuliffe.
