Beyond Basics: Tackling Extraordinary Medical and Extracurricular Expenses | Episode 217

Extraordinary Medical and Extracurricular Expenses in Colorado Child SupportIn this “how-to” episode of Divorce at Altitude, Ryan Kalamaya explains how extraordinary medical expenses and extracurricular costs for children can impact child support in a Colorado divorce or custody case. While Colorado’s child support guidelines already account for the basic costs of raising children—such as food, housing, and routine medical care—certain expenses fall outside the standard calculation. These include significant medical costs like braces, surgeries, therapy, or emergency care, as well as extracurricular activities such as private school, competitive sports, or specialized training programs.Ryan walks listeners through how these additional expenses are typically shared between parents in proportion to their income, often based on the same percentage split used in the child support calculation. Using the hypothetical example of Eric and Melanie Wolf, he explains how courts evaluate whether expenses like private school or travel sports are reasonable and appropriate based on the child’s needs, the family’s financial resources, and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the marriage had not ended.Episode HighlightsWhat Counts as Extraordinary Medical Expenses Ryan explains how costs beyond routine medical care—such as braces, surgeries, therapy, or emergency treatment—are typically shared between parents based on their percentage of income.How These Costs Are Divided Between Parents Extraordinary medical expenses are usually split proportionally, meaning each parent pays a share based on their income or child support percentage.Extracurricular Activities and Competitive Sports Ryan explores how expensive activities like travel sports, music lessons, or specialized coaching may be treated as extraordinary expenses depending on the child’s involvement and the family’s financial resources.Using the Child Support Worksheet Extraordinary expenses can be added directly to the child support worksheet, which can significantly increase or decrease the final child support payment.Handling Disagreements Between Parents Ryan explains how parenting plans often require parents to agree before enrolling a child in expensive activities and how disputes may be resolved through a judge, parenting coordinator, or arbitrator.What is Divorce at Altitude? Ryan Kalamaya and Amy Goscha provide tips and recommendations on issues related to divorce, separation, and co-parenting in Colorado. Ryan and Amy are the founding partners of an innovative and ambitious law firm, Kalamaya | Goscha, that pushes the boundaries to discover new frontiers in family law, personal injuries, and criminal defense in Colorado. To subscribe to Divorce at Altitude, click here and select your favorite podcast player. To subscribe to Kalamaya | Goscha's YouTube channel where many of the episodes will be posted as videos, click here.  If you have additional questions or would like to speak to one of our attorneys, give us a call at 970-429-5784 or email us at [email protected].************************************************************************DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS ON THIS PODCAST IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE. CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE OR AREA TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY OF THESE ISSUES.