Section 7 child support expenses include extracurricular activities, like hockey, or health expenses, like orthotics. Many parents are not sure of what section 7 child support expenses are, and who should pay for them. This confusion can create conflict between separated parents: one thinks the other doesn’t care about his/her children to pay for various expenses; the other thinks he/she is paying too much. Read on to learn all about section 7 expenses — what qualifies and how they are split between parents.
The Two Types of Child Support Payments
Child support payments can be differentiated between the following two types of payments. The basic monthly amount which is determined in accordance to child support tables. As well as section 7 expenses which is an amount of child support payment in respect of special or extraordinary expenses.
What is Included in Section 7 Expenses?
Section 7 expenses are extraneous expenses. Some expenses that may be included as section 7 expenses are child care fees such as daycare, medical and dental insurance premiums, health expenses (such as orthodontics, prescriptions, eyeglasses, counseling, or hearing aids), school or educational programs, post-secondary education expenses and extracurricular activities such as competitive sports classes. These expenses must be reasonable and necessary to be considered.
What is Not Included in Section 7 Expenses?
There is no checklist to see if an expense is special or extraordinary. Every expense is decided based on your family’s financial situation. You and your partner can decide if an expense is special or extraordinary, but some expenses that don’t usually qualify are pets (unless needed for medical or disability purposes), school fees and supplies, clothing, children’s meals outside the home, vacations, home computers, and cars.
How are Section 7 Expenses Split Between Parents?
Section 7 expenses are split based on the income that each parent has. For example, if both parents have an equal income, then the special child care expenses will be split equally. If one parent earns $25,000 and the other parent earns $75,000, then the section 7 expenses will be split 25% by the lower-income earner and 75% by the higher income earner.
Need Help Negotiating?
Sometimes parents can disagree on what is considered reasonable or too expensive. The family lawyers at Westside Family Law Office are very familiar with special/extraordinary child support expenses. Our lawyers can help the client with negotiation of what a valid special expense is, appear in court to determine valid expenses, and help the secure payment if needed. For more information or to set up an appointment, contact us today.