Child support is generally intended to help with the costs of raising the child—including food, clothing, shelter, and education—but laws vary from state to state and are often unclear on the extent to which child support payments are intended to help the custodial parent pay for half of school supplies, health care, braces, glasses, dental care, uninsured medical care, transportation (car), daycare, sports camps, cheerleading camps, school trips, social activities, and extracurricular activities.

Most state laws (statutes) don’t identify the specific child-rearing costs to which the custodial parent is required to contribute payment from child support and other resources—and because these issues are frequently the source of parental conflict, parents should identify all expected future costs and agree to the process for sharing them.

In Georgia, child support is designed to cover the basic needs of the child, which include food, clothing, shelter, and education. The state uses an 'Income Shares Model' to calculate child support, which considers the income of both parents and the idea that the child should receive the same proportion of parental income that he or she would have received if the parents lived together. While the basic child support obligation covers general needs, Georgia law also recognizes additional expenses such as health insurance, work-related childcare costs, and educational costs, which can be added to the basic obligation. However, the law does not provide an exhaustive list of expenses such as costs for extracurricular activities, sports, social activities, or specific school-related expenses like school supplies or trips. These additional expenses are often negotiated between parents and can be included in the child support order if both parties agree or if the court finds them necessary for the child's well-being. In cases of disagreement, parents may need to return to court for a modification of the child support order to address these costs. It is advisable for parents to clearly outline the handling of these expenses in their child support agreement to prevent future conflicts.