Does child support cover all the expenses the children had during the marriage?

No, generally child support covers the basic expenses, such as the food, lodging and basic necessary life expenses for the child. Things such as horseback riding lessons or private school will not be considered. The court can never award a party or force a party to pay for private school. This would have to be done pursuant to a separate agreement party. Things like ski trips to Switzerland, horseback riding or shopping trips to Paris, these would fall under extracurricular expenses and again, they would be subject to the marital settlement agreement and it would be up to the parties to determine amongst themselves how they would approach these.

Sean Sullivan is a family lawyer practicing in the Elmhurst, Illinois area at the law offices of Laura M Urbik Kern, specializing in child custody and dissolution in divorce.