Make a plan for extracurricular activity fees after a divorce

Raising children is an expensive job. Even when the children aren’t involved in extracurricular activities, there are still considerable expenses. When you add in things like dance, football, chess club, band and other activities, the cost is going to soar. Parents who aren’t in a relationship with each other need to come up with a plan for paying for all these extra expenses.

The cost of sports is higher than other activities. Students participating in clubs will likely spend around $124 annually on these. For arts-based activities like theater, the cost is around $218 per year. Sports come in much higher at an average of $302 each year.

It might not seem like much to some parents, but for those with lower incomes and people who have more than one child, these fees can add up. They can also multiply quickly when a child is involved in several activities. On top of these, you also need to think about the cost of school supplies, clothing and other similar expenses.

Parents must determine how to cover these costs. In the case of a divorce, one parent might pay all the fees for one activity and the other parent covers a different one. Another option is that everything is divided down the middle, so each parent pays an equal share.

Ideally, you and your ex will work together to come to the terms of how to handle these situations. Whatever decisions you make about these costs should be put into the child custody and support paperwork. This takes the confusion out of the situation and can help reduce the stress.