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Summer is a season many children look forward to, filled with camps, sports, travel, and opportunities to learn new skills. For divorced or separated parents, however, summer camp often raises an important question: Who is responsible for paying for it?
In New Jersey, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Responsibility for summer camp expenses depends on several factors, including your divorce agreement, child support arrangement, the type of camp, and the financial circumstances of each parent.
Here is what New Jersey parents should know.
The answer depends on your child support order and the nature of the camp expense. Basic child support in New Jersey is intended to cover a child’s ordinary day-to-day expenses, such as:
However, summer camp expenses fall outside ordinary child support, particularly if the camp is expensive, specialized, or necessary because both parents work during the summer months.
Whether camp costs are included in child support depends on what your court order or Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) says.
The first place to look is your divorce judgment or Marital Settlement Agreement.
Many agreements specifically address:
For example, your agreement may state that:
If your agreement addresses summer camp, those terms will control it unless they are later modified by the court.
Whether summer camp qualifies as a child care expense depends on the specific circumstances. If the primary purpose of camp is to provide supervision while a parent works, a court may view some or all the cost as a work-related child care expense rather than simply a recreational activity.
Examples include:
In those situations, courts may allocate costs similarly to daycare expenses, often based on each parent’s income or as provided in the child support calculation guideline worksheet.
Specialty camps can be more complicated.
These may include:
If one parent unilaterally enrolls a child in an expensive camp without consulting the other parent, that parent may have difficulty requiring the other parent to contribute, particularly if joint decision-making is required under the parenting agreement.
Whenever possible, parents should discuss:
Clear communication can help prevent unnecessary disputes.
Financial circumstances change.
If one parent’s income has significantly decreased since the divorce, paying for summer camp may no longer be realistic.
In some cases, parents may:
New Jersey courts expect parents to act reasonably and in the child’s best interests while also considering each parent’s ability to pay.
That depends on your custody arrangement.
If parents share joint legal custody, major decisions involving the child’s activities are expected to be made together.
If your agreement requires mutual consent for extracurricular activities or significant expenses, enrolling a child without consulting the other parent could create conflict and will affect whether reimbursement is required.
Even when an agreement is silent, collaboration is usually the best approach.
Disagreements over summer activities are common.
Parents may disagree about:
Many of these disputes can be resolved through:
If an agreement cannot be reached, either parent may ask the court to decide the issue based on the child’s best interests and the parties’ financial circumstances.
One of the best ways to avoid conflict is to discuss summer plans early.
Parents should consider:
The earlier these conversations occur, the more options are available.
Questions about summer camp expenses often involve broader issues related to child support, custody, parenting time, and the interpretation of your divorce agreement.
If you are unsure whether you are responsible for paying summer camp costs, or if you are facing a dispute with your co-parent, our family law attorneys at Lawrence Law can help you understand your rights and pursue a practical solution tailored to your family’s circumstances.
Contact Lawrence Law today at 908-645-1000 to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you navigate post-divorce parenting and financial issues throughout New Jersey. Subscribe to The Lawrence Ledger, our quarterly newsletter, to receive the latest firm news, updates, and more!
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