September 23, 2022
Who Pays for My Child’s Schooling After Divorce
A divorce is one of the toughest things that a family can go through, especially if children are involved. While California may have one of the lowest divorce rates in the country, there is still a matter of child-related finances when a divorce does happen. Contact a Roseville child custody attorney at Manzoor Law Firm today for questions regarding your specific situation.
Some of the biggest questions include child support after divorce and who will pay for schooling. Even if your child is 18 years or older, there may still be college child support that you have to pay in the state of California. But who pays what amount?
Who Pays for the Child Schooling
Child support works in California much like in other states, but it can get a bit more complicated if private schooling is involved. While some divorces have both parties mutually agree to an amount covered for schooling, most cases will have a court order to determine who pays.
There is no defined percentage that each parent will pay, as a judge has to be the one that makes the specific determination if both parties haven’t already reached an agreement. In some cases, one party could end up paying the full amount of the private school tuition.
How To Come Up With Who Pays
A judge will consider a few things when determining who will pay what amount if there hasn’t been a marital settlement agreement that includes private school tuition. The first is to look through potential documents to see if there was an agreement before the divorce was a consideration or if an agreement was made early on in the divorce proceedings before being altered.
The next consideration for the judge will be the income of both parties. If one income is much higher than the other, that person will be much more able to pay for schooling. Finally, the judge will take a look at the specific needs that the child has. When it comes to family court, the judge will always look out for the child’s best interest instead of either party’s financials.
If neither party can fund their child’s tuition, the judge will likely order a 50-50 split. Both parties will have to come up with cases as to why the other should take on the bulk of the educational payments, which is why you need a strong child support lawyer.
What Are the Expenses Included in a Child’s Schooling?
There will be a lot of various expenses when it comes to private schooling, with tuition being the largest. The average private school tuition in California is nearly $16,000 for all ages, with elementary schools costing around $15,000 while private high schools can reach almost $22,000 per year. The highest tuition for a private school in California belongs to The Webb Schools, with a yearly tuition of over $73,000.
Then there are the much smaller fees, though they add up rather quickly. Most schools have uniforms that cost hundreds of dollars and are required for all students. There is also the matter of books and other school supplies that can include laptops and other important pieces of technology. Those bills can get into the thousands depending on the school. Add in field trips, lunches, and extracurricular activities, and the total yearly cost can get over $20,000 very easily and even six figures in some cases.
If you need help determining who will pay for schooling following a divorce, contact the top Roseville CA divorce attorney Manzoor Law Firm today at (916) 909-1349.