This is a simple law.
Let's say a man has to pay $400/month in child support. Ouch. Let's say the man wants to take his kid out to dinner, but can't, because... yup you got it, has to save up money to pay his ex.
How about allowing deductions from child support when the non-custodial parent spends money on the child? Why should a guy send $400 to the wife when he can just cut out the middleman sometimes and spend some money buying the kid some new clothes or some food, or a baseball bat, etc?
A system whereby the non-custodial parents could deduct child-based expenditures from child support payments would be nice.-- Madai, Jan 31 2005 I could see some father spending $400 on ice cream and toys for the kid, making life real hard for the mother, so some system of restraint needs to exist. But +.-- tiromancer, Jan 31 2005 The only problem is the appropriateness of what is bought, seeing as the money is supposed to be used for the care, feeding and upkeep of the child.
Minor example: The little one needed new school shoes - plain black or navy blue, no patent leather, and definitely no trainers.
So, of course as you do, little one's dad bought her a pair of fluorescent pink trainers with flashing lights in the soles (!)
The little one had to struggle to school in an old, disintegrating and too-small pair of shoes until the end of the week when we could go into town and I could buy her the right shoes.-- prufrax, Jan 31 2005 Might as well put an arbitrary limit on the total deductible amount. Call it 1/4 or something.
Also, should not be applicable to fathers/mothers who have no custodial rights.
Other than that, no complaints.-- shapu, Jan 31 2005 "No, me and the kids shared that eight-ball of cocaine - - it should be at least half deductable!"-- contracts, Jan 31 2005 "Sir, if your dealer didn't give you a receipt, there's nothing I can do. Now, if you have your receipts from the drugstore, I think we can claim your meth lab's sudafed as a business expense..."
EDIT: Whoops...I just realized that's going to cause people to vote AGAINST this idea, which I actually consider not half bad.-- shapu, Jan 31 2005 With exactly what metric of the child support equation are you unhappy?-- reensure, Jan 31 2005 random, halfbakery