Expense reimbursement is the process of one parent repaying the other for child-related costs allocated between the parents in the court order or agreement. The parenting plan should specify which expenses are subject to reimbursement, what documentation is required, how requests must be submitted, and what the deadline is for payment.

Expense reimbursement disputes are among the most common post-decree parenting conflicts. Clear reimbursement provisions in the parenting plan eliminate most of the ambiguity that produces these disputes.

Common reimbursable expenses include uncovered medical costs, school fees allocated between the parents, agreed-upon extracurricular costs, and travel costs for parenting time. Each category should be addressed specifically with its own documentation and reimbursement requirements.