What is the difference between child support and child maintenance?

Child support and child maintenance are two different legal terms that both describe financial payments made towards the support of a child. In Virginia, child support refers to the financial obligations that a non-custodial parent has to contribute to the overall costs of raising a child. These payments are often determined by a court of law and are meant to cover the basic costs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Child maintenance, on the other hand, refers to the additional payments that a non-custodial parent may be legally obligated to pay. These payments may include medical expenses, educational expenses, or extra-curricular activities. Furthermore, child maintenance payments may also be decided through the court system or be agreed upon as part of a private settlement. To sum up, the primary difference between child support and child maintenance is that child support is the minimum amount of financial obligation that one parent must pay towards raising a child, while child maintenance are any additional payments that the non-custodial parent can be ordered by a court or agree to pay.

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What is the difference between child support and child maintenance?

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