In family law and public policy, child support (or child maintenance) is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship.  Child support is based on a few predominant facts including but not limited to parties' income, health insurance costs for the children and who pays it, daycare or aftercare costs for the children and who pays it, health insurance costs for the parents themselves, number of overnights the minor children spend with each parent, prior child support paid by either parents, etc.  Child support is deemed for the support of the minor children and typically, the parents cannot contract around it.