If you are preparing for the end of your marriage and you have a child, you might imagine the formula is simple: the Connecticut parent who does not have custody of the child must pay child support to the parent who does. In addition to basic food and clothing needs, child support also covers medical expenses. However, when medical expenses turn extraordinary, the child support formula becomes more complicated.
As explained by FindLaw, the state of Connecticut has a formula in place to determine how much a parent who does not have custody of one or more children should pay the parent who does. This formula utilizes the net income of the two parents and the number of children involved. However, this formula can be upended by other factors, such as whether a parent has other financial assets not included in the net income, and also whether the child has extraordinary expenses.
When it comes to extraordinary medical expenses, a child may possess any of a wide variety of needs. These expenses may include out of pocket costs, such as anything that goes above what a normal health insurance policy would cover, like deductibles and co-pays, or medical costs that are simply not insured. The costs may come suddenly, or they may stem from a pre-existing medical condition possessed by the child.
Extraordinary medical expenses may include accessories and devices designed to help correct a health problem. Some children require eyeglasses to correct sight. Children with teeth issues sometimes need braces. Minors recovering from an accident may need a cast on the broken limb. Other expenses may include treatments for asthma or allergy, or anything to treat a problem that is chronic in nature.
These expenses can be costly and may be more than a non-custodial parent can support. Depending on the situation, both parents may have to split the cost of the medical expenses. These issues may be settled during the initial divorce settlement, or they may have to be resolved later when a medical situation involving a child arises. Asking a professional attorney for assistance in support matters could be a benefit to resolving such questions.