Extraordinary expenses are large, out-of-pocket costs that are NOT covered by the basic child support transfer payment. By Washington law, these must be shared proportionately based on each parent's income percentage.
RCW 26.19.080(2)(3) states healthcare expenses and daycare and special child rearing expenses are not included in the economic table. These expenses shall be shared by the parents in the same proportion as the basic support obligation based on each parent's income share percentage.
Extraordinary expenses are added to the basic support obligation on the WSCSS worksheet and then shared proportionally. The parent who pays the expense directly to the provider receives a credit on Line 16 of the worksheet. Understanding this term is important when completing your child support calculation. Use our worksheet calculator to see how this applies to your case.
Healthcare expenses that qualify: Monthly health insurance premiums for children. Uninsured medical, dental, and vision costs. Mental health treatment and counseling. Prescription medications. Orthodontia and chiropractic care.
Daycare and special expenses that qualify: Work-related childcare and daycare costs. Private school tuition and educational expenses. Long-distance transportation for visitation. Special therapy or counseling costs.
Expenses that do NOT qualify: Ordinary day-to-day costs like food, clothing, and school supplies are assumed to be covered by the basic transfer payment and cannot be added as extraordinary expenses.
Extraordinary expenses increase the total obligation beyond the basic table amount. The parent with the higher income share pays more of these costs. Credits ensure parents are not double-paying for expenses they already cover directly.
The parent who pays the expense directly to the provider receives the credit on Line 16 of the WSCSS worksheet reducing their net transfer payment by that amount.
Use our 2026 Washington State estimator to see how these legal terms impact your support amount. All calculators are RCW 26.19 compliant.