Personal & family 2 signers 2 pages 15 blanks to fill in

Child Expense Sharing Agreement

Football fees, braces, the school trip to Rome: agree how the extras are split, approved and paid back, so money stays out of the handover.

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Child expense sharing agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. FileIt adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Child expense sharing agreement — page 1 of 2
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Use this template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from FileIt eSignature.

What is a child expense sharing agreement?

After a separation, everyday costs during each parent's time are usually simple. The extras are what cause friction: a new activity signed up for without asking, a dental bill that arrives months later, or a reimbursement that never comes. A child expense sharing agreement sets one clear process both parents can follow.

This template lists the children and sets each parent's percentage share. It names the categories you share, with a full default list covering activities, school costs, uninsured medical and dental bills, childcare for work and school tech, and what each parent pays alone. Costs over an amount you set, and anything recurring, need the other parent's written agreement, with a reply deadline, and urgent medical care never waits. It sets deadlines for sending receipts and paying back, where costs are tracked, and that refunds and insurance come off first. It keeps money talk away from the children, uses mediation for disagreements, and says that any child support or court order comes first.

Best for
Separated, divorced and never-married co-parents
Signed by
Both parents
Covers
Percentage split, shared categories, approval, urgent care, receipts, reimbursement, disputes
Works with
Any child support arrangement or court order, which comes first
Length
2 pages

When to use a child expense sharing agreement

  • Splitting activity fees and kit for two children 60/40
  • Agreeing how orthodontic treatment will be paid for
  • Setting rules for school trips and exam fees
  • Sharing holiday club costs while both parents work
  • Putting an informal arrangement in writing after a dispute

What you fill in

15 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: first parent, second parent.

1 Parents and children

  • First parent's full name*
  • Second parent's full name*
  • Children (name and date of birth)*
  • Applies to costs from*

2 The split

  • First parent's share (%)*
  • Second parent's share (%)*
  • Costs we share*
  • Not shared (each parent pays their own)*

3 Approval

  • Currency*
  • Ask the other parent first for any cost over*
  • Days to reply to a request*

4 Paying back

  • Days to send the receipt*
  • Days to pay back a share*
  • We track costs in*
  • Payments are made by*

5 Who signs

  • First parent signature and date
  • Second parent signature and date

What the child expense sharing agreement covers

  1. How we split
  2. Asking first
  3. Receipts and paying back
  4. Talking about it

Using the child expense sharing agreement, step by step

1 List the children

Enter both parents and each child's name and date of birth, and the date the agreement applies from.

2 Set the split and categories

Enter each parent's percentage. Edit the list of shared costs and what each parent pays alone.

3 Agree the approval rule

Set the amount above which a cost needs agreement first, and how many days the other parent has to reply.

4 Set the paperwork, then sign

Choose deadlines for receipts and reimbursements, where you'll track costs and how you'll pay. Both parents sign online.

Tips before you send it

  • A shared spreadsheet or co-parenting app with a photo of each receipt prevents most disputes.
  • Put the item in the bank transfer reference. It makes the record easy to check later.
  • If no reply arrives within the deadline, the cost counts as agreed, so reply even if the answer is no.
  • Review the agreement when a child starts a new school or activity, not only once a year.
  • If you have a court order, check it first. Some already set out how extra costs are shared.

Sign it online in minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Use the child expense sharing agreement template — it’s free

Child expense sharing agreement: frequently asked questions

Does this replace child support?

No. It's in addition to any child support either parent pays and doesn't change it. Where a court order or child support calculation already covers a cost, the order comes first.

What if the other parent doesn't reply to a request?

If there's no reply within the days you set, the cost counts as agreed. Urgent medical or dental treatment never needs approval in advance.

Can we make this part of a court order?

Possibly, but that needs the court or your local process. The agreement says so. Signing it online makes it a written record between the two of you.

Can both parents sign from different places?

Yes. Each parent signs on their own device, and both receive the same signed PDF with an audit trail.

Use this template — free