All parents know the high cost of raising children. For those that participate in activities such as clubs or teams, the costs are even greater. When a couple with kids gets a divorce, however, these sorts of activities generally do not warrant increased child support payments. In a recent ruling on the opposite coast from Oregon, however, a judge went against that trend in a case involving an exceptional child.
The two parents involved in the case split from each other seven years ago. Since then, the father has paid monthly child support. His current payments are $113 per month, out of a $33,000 per year salary. The parents were in court because the child required extra funding to pay for acting lessons. In the past, petitions for additional support for extra-curricular activities and hobbies have been denied.
In his ruling, however, the judge decided that the child, a 13-year-old girl, possessed an unusually high level of talent and drive. He felt more money should be made available in order to further her goal of a performing arts career. Though he cautioned that similar cases should be evaluated on individual merit, and that parents should not be an unlimited source of money for their children, he did order each parent to contribute $250 each year for lessons.
Any good parent wants the very best for their child. This includes supporting their interests and any career aspirations they may have. Sometimes, after a divorce, it is possible for parents to lose focus on these interests, or it may be that finances don’t seem to allow for them. Consultation with a lawyer who handles family law cases in Oregon may help divorced or divorcing parents work out child support options they hadn’t considered.
Source: New York Post, “Your gifted kid is going to cost you more in child support“, Julia Marsh, Nov. 3, 2016
