Which Co-Parent is Responsible for Buying Back-to-School Supplies?

Meaghan Kleine Blog

Parents, it’s that time of the year again: back-to-school season. According to Forbes, the average student will cost $586 in school supplies for the 2024 school year. This is a big expense for any family, especially for those with multiple school-aged children. But who covers the cost after separation or divorce?

Well…it depends upon your child support and custody agreement. And sometimes, it’s still unclear as to which parent is responsible for back-to-school supplies.

 

School Costs Parents Need to Consider

When filing for child support in the state of Arkansas, both parents need to provide their monthly income to calculate a fair support agreement. In addition, the cost of health insurance, medical bills, and childcare expenses are factored in to determine an adequate child support amount.

However, most child support recipients do not receive enough money to cover all of their child’s back-to-school supplies. Here’s a glimpse of what you might be required to purchase for the new school year:

 

 

General Necessities

  • Pencils/Pens
  • Erasers
  • Crayons
  • Highlighters
  • Notebooks
  • Day Planner
  • Folders
  • Glue Sticks
  • Scissors

Notice these are just the bare necessities. It doesn’t include items that can be reused, like clothes, shoes, or backpacks. However, many parents (particularly those with elementary and middle school children) still need to replace these “reusable” items because their children have outgrown last school year’s fit.

 

Extracurricular Activities

Education-related costs don’t stop once you’ve fulfilled the back-to-school shopping list. Children who participate in band, sports, and other academic clubs will need uniforms, equipment, and transportation. Those prices add up quickly, especially if one parent refuses to help finance the activity.

 

School Functions and Field Trips

While these costs occur throughout the school year, school functions and field trips can be another education-related expense that parents struggle to afford — especially during high school.

 

 

 

 

For example, let’s think about prom costs. Between the ticket price, dress shopping/suit rental, transportation costs, and all the other additional extras (hair, makeup, etc), a parent is likely to spend a few hundred dollars.

 

Navigating Back-To-School Shopping as Co-Parents

When coordinating custody schedules and child support, education-related costs like back-to-school shopping are important to discuss. Co-parents who are struggling to come to an agreement may attend mediation to discuss their options.

 

Option #1: 50/50 Split

Each parent agrees to pay half of the final cost for back-to-school related supplies, extracurricular activities, and other school-related expenses.

How co-parents navigate a 50/50 split can vary. Some ex-partners take their children on a joint shopping trip and split the cost evenly at the register. Alternatively, one co-parent may ask for an itemized receipt to reimburse the other parent.

 

Option #2: Income-Based Split

If one parent makes significantly more money than the other, the co-parenting team should agree on a fair income-based split of school supplies. For example, the high earner covers 70% while the lower earner covers 30% of education costs.

Co-parents may decide to split costs based on the items needed. In this scenario, one parent covers clothing-related shopping and the other parent purchases school supplies.

 

 

 

 

Option #3: One Parent Pays All

Although this option is not ideal, some parents opt to pay for school supplies and education expenses independently. However, this can breed resentment in some co-parenting relationships and could cause school-related parental alienation.

 

Contact Hickey & Hill Law Partners for Legal Guidance

Back-to-school shopping is essential to help students succeed in a new school year, which means good co-parenting relationships should agree on who is responsible for purchasing supplies. But coming to a financial agreement with an ex-partner can be challenging. If you’re in the middle of a custody battle or request to modify child support, you’ll need reliable legal guidance to ensure your child is provided for through a fair co-parenting agreement.

The legal team at Hickey & Hull have helped clients across Arkansas with child support, parental alienation, custody agreements, and other family law cases. Schedule a consultation with one of our professionals today to discuss your legal options.