Holiday Expenses and Child Support: What Parents Need to Know

As delightful as the holidays can be, they can also present a time of great financial stress. You might be worried about how to handle extra childcare during the school break, pay for gifts, and support special outings. 

Understanding how these additional expenses fit into your existing agreement or a future order of child support may help prevent conflicts and confusion. 

Potential Holiday Expenses 

The holidays can tack on additional expenses to a household, such as:

  • Travel expenses
  • Special meals
  • Outings
  • Gifts
  • Transportation expenses

Carefully considering these expenses before the holiday season can help parents better prepare financially and potentially avoid disputes. 

What Child Support Covers in Florida

The first thing that parents need to understand about child support in Florida regarding holiday expenses is that these expenses are not typically part of a child support order. They are not automatic. 

This is because child support in Florida is generally intended to pay for the child’s basic needs, such as:

  • Housing, including a portion of rent or mortgage, electricity, water, and other utilities
  • Food
  • Clothing 
  • Healthcare, including insurance costs, co-pays, medical care, and medication
  • Childcare necessary to allow a parent to work
  • Educational expenses, such as school supplies and textbooks
  • Transportation expenses to get the child to where they need to go

Extracurricular activities, travel, and recreation are usually not included in the base amount of child support. 

What Do Florida Courts Consider When Awarding Child Support?

Florida courts consider various factors when determining the amount of child support to award, such as:

  • The number of children to be supported
  • The income of both parents
  • The child’s needs
  • The costs of health insurance, uninsured medical expenses, and child care

The Florida Department of Revenue website provides a free calculator you can use to estimate potential child support awards.

Extraordinary Expenses and Florida Child Support

Extraordinary expenses in Florida child support cases are costs beyond basic needs that the courts can add to the base amount of child support. Travel, additional extracurricular activities, special learning programs, and other opportunities may represent extraordinary expenses. 

Parents can request that these amounts be included in their child support award.

Modifying Child Support Due To Increased Holiday Expenses

Holiday expenses alone usually are not enough to justify a child support modification. Courts generally view child support as covering a child’s year-round needs, while holiday costs are considered temporary and predictable.

In limited cases, holiday-related costs may matter if they are tied to a broader financial change or required by a court-ordered parenting schedule. Otherwise, parents are encouraged to plan ahead, communicate about expenses, and review their existing orders rather than seek a formal modification.

Tips on Managing Holiday Expenses

Before the holidays, try to follow these tips to help manage conflict and come up with a plan on how to manage holiday expenses:

  • Communicate: Bring up the subject early on and address it with the other parent. Try to work together to sort out any potential issues, such as budget constraints.
  • Plan ahead: Anticipate your holiday expenses and plans. Make a budget. Share this information with the other parent. 
  • Consider mediation: This can be an amicable way to sort out disagreements that avoids the cost and conflict of litigation. 
  • Keep detailed records: Keep all emails, invoices, text messages, receipts, and other documentation of your agreement on these expenses and how they were paid. 
  • Be flexible: Try to be understanding if things change unexpectedly. Make necessary adjustments that are in your child’s best interests. 

Don’t be afraid to reach out for legal support if you reach an impasse or need information on your legal rights. 

Contact a Knowledgeable Orlando Child Support Lawyer for Legal Guidance

If you need clarification on your legal responsibilities based on an existing agreement or advice about what type of child support provisions to include in your agreement in or around Orlando, Florida, contact an experienced child support lawyer from McMichen, Cinami & Demps. 

We strive to reach amicable resolutions that preserve family relationships and minimize conflict. Call our Orlando, FL office today at (407) 898-2161 to schedule a free consultation.

McMichen, Cinami & Demps – Orlando Office
1500 E Concord St
Orlando, FL 32803