For the average household, raising a child can cost a lot of money. Expenses from birth to when the child leaves the home can include diapers, food, clothing, extracurricular activities, car insurance and much more. Over time, the amount adds up.
But when a family is split by divorce, one parent may be awarded primary custody and will be responsible for providing for the child and making important decisions on their behalf. But included in that is the cost of raising that child without the other parent. That is why child support becomes a factor in the divorce process.
Often child support is paid each month and the amount is determined based on the needs of the child. When requesting an amount of child support, the parent may be asked to justify why they are asking for that specific amount. This is especially the case if the amount seems high or unreasonable.
Just recently an interesting child support case made international headlines because the monthly amount requested was almost absurd. Linda Evangelista, known for her modeling work, asked the court to order her ex-husband to pay child support each month in the amount of $46,000. More than many people many in a year, people wondered how a four-year-old child could require that much each month.
Apparently, the little boy has two nannies, two drivers, and attends an expensive private school (even at such a young age). The other activities his mother involves him in are also expensive. Overall, it appears that each month it costs nearly $50,000 to take care of him and make sure he gets the proper upbringing.
Does that amount sound excessive? Should Evangelista be awarded that much child support?
Source: Huffington Post: “Linda Evangelista’s $46,000 Child Support Demand: How Can One Kid Cost So Much?” Ellie Krupnick, Aug. 4, 2011.
