Who Pays The Child’s Medical Expenses After Divorce?

Going through a divorce when you have children together can be difficult. Naturally, your divorce will involve various legal and financial arrangements to ensure their care. When it comes to healthcare, people are often stuck in arguments and fights.

Healthcare can be very expensive. Therefore, it might be difficult to determine who pays for it. Divorce is already a challenging time, and arguing about issues like health care for your child can frustrate you. It is better to let a gig harbor child support attorney handle your case while you take care of your mental health and give time to your kids.

Does the parent with higher income pay for the child’s health insurance?

Many people believe in one misconception that courts usually assign the child’s health insurance responsibility to the higher-earning parent. As mentioned, it is only a misconception. While this myth is believable for obvious reasons, it is not accurate in reality.

According to the law, both parents are legally responsible for supporting the child’s finances. Even if the custodial parent is the higher-earning spouse, the non-custodial spouse must still pay child support if the court decides.

Are medical expenses included with child support?

Issues as important as medical expenses are often decided in court, rather than letting the parents decide what needs to be done. In some cases, the judge may rule that a portion of child support goes for the child’s medical expenses. In these cases, the other parent is legally obligated only to use this money for the child’s medical needs.

Many medical expenses are not covered by child support. For such cases, the courts may make a different arrangement. The court considers various factors and decides which spouse should pay for the child’s uninsured medical bills. Of course, the parties are free to meet outside the court and decide on this matter without the judge’s interference. However, you still need to get your agreement approved and signed by the judge.

Take action if your spouse does not pay child support

Child support is an integral part of your child’s healthcare program. If your ex-spouse does not fulfill their responsibility of paying child support on time, you need to understand your legal rights. Taking care of your child’s financial needs is their responsibility, and the court does not tolerate negligence in this area as it affects the child’s life.

When your ex-spouse fails to make payments at the right time or refuses to pay at all, you can take legal action against them. Hiring a gig harbor lawyer that specializes in the field will help you retrieve the needed money from your ex-spouse.