New York Child Support Add-On Expenses (FCA § 413(1)(c)): Child Care, Health Insurance, and Education

In New York, the basic child support number is not the whole bill. On top of it, the law adds a set of shared costs called add-on expenses, and the parents split them in proportion to their incomes. These add-ons cover child care, health insurance and medical costs, and certain educational expenses.

Parents who look only at the percentage-based basic obligation and forget the add-ons routinely underestimate what child support actually costs, sometimes by a wide margin, especially when day care or private school is in the picture.

This page covers what the add-on expenses are, how child care and medical costs get handled, when a court can order a parent to pay for school, and how the add-ons get divided.

What Are Child Support Add-On Expenses in New York?

They are specific child-related costs the court orders the parents to share on top of the basic child support obligation. Under Family Court Act § 413(1)(c) and Domestic Relations Law § 240(1-b)(c), the add-ons are divided between the parents in the same income proportion used for the basic obligation, not split fifty-fifty.

So if one parent earns 65 percent of the combined parental income, that parent generally pays 65 percent of each add-on, while the basic support number covers everyday costs like food, clothing, and shelter. The add-ons sit alongside it as separate, identifiable expenses.

How Are Child Care Costs Handled in a New York Child Support Order?

Reasonable child care is a mandatory add-on when it lets the custodial parent work or train for work. If the parent who has the children most of the time needs day care, after-school care, or a babysitter in order to hold a job or attend education or training that leads to employment, those reasonable costs are added on and split by income.

This is one of the larger add-ons in real life. Full-time day care for a young child in New York City can rival a second rent payment, and the noncustodial parent’s income share of that cost is owed on top of the basic obligation. Our NYC child support attorneys make sure these numbers are documented and accounted for, because a support order that ignores child care does not reflect what raising the child actually costs.

Who Pays for Health Insurance and Unreimbursed Medical Costs in a New York Child Support Case?

Both parents, by their income shares. Health coverage for the children is an add-on, and the cost of providing it is divided in proportion to income. On top of that, unreimbursed medical expenses, the out-of-pocket costs that insurance does not cover, are also shared by the same proportion.

That second category matters more than people expect. Co-pays, deductibles, orthodontics, therapy, prescriptions, and any chronic condition can generate real out-of-pocket costs, and each parent owes a share. A clear order spells out how these get documented and reimbursed, so a parent is not left chasing the other for receipts.

Can a New York Court Order a Parent to Pay for Private School or College?

It can, depending on the family’s circumstances. Educational expenses are a discretionary add-on, which means a court weighs the facts rather than applying an automatic rule. For private or special schooling, a court looks at things like the child’s needs, the family’s history of private education, and the parents’ ability to pay. For college, a court can direct contributions toward tuition and related costs, again based on the circumstances and the parents’ means.

Because these are discretionary, they are also negotiable, and they are frequently addressed directly in a settlement so neither parent is left guessing years later. Our attorneys raise the education question early, since a child already in private school, or a family that always planned for college, has a stronger record to build on.

How Add-Ons Get Split Between Parents in a New York Child Support Order

By the same income percentages used for the basic obligation. The court calculates each parent’s share of the combined parental income, then applies that percentage to each add-on. A parent responsible for 60 percent of the basic obligation generally carries 60 percent of child care, 60 percent of the health insurance cost, and 60 percent of unreimbursed medical, with educational costs allocated as the court directs.

The practical lesson is simple. The headline percentage is only the floor. The add-ons can move the real monthly figure substantially, in either direction depending on which parent carries the costs. Building them into the order correctly is part of getting child support right.

Talk to Cedeño Law Group About Child Support Add-Ons in New York

The basic number is only the start of what child support covers. Cedeño Law Group prepares every support case as if a judge will set each piece after reading the whole file. Call us so the add-ons are counted, not overlooked.

Updated 2026. This page reflects the child support add-on expenses under Family Court Act § 413(1)(c) and Domestic Relations Law § 240(1-b)(c) as in effect in 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.

For more laws, visit our New York Divorce and Family Laws page.