The Essential Elements of Your Parenting Plan
Children go through many stages and phases growing up, and having a clear and thorough parenting plan can help keep you and your ex-spouse on the same page in terms of how to raise your children. Here are some of the most important elements to consider when putting together your parenting plan. By Carolyn Ellis When you get divorced and have children, you’ll be required to create a parenting plan which is a written document that spells out how you agree to parent your children. The parenting plan needs to be clear and practical and keep the best interests and needs of your children in ...
The Nuts and Bolts of Child Support
The decision to start, raise and provide for a family doesn’t end just because the marriage did. Child support helps your children and family make the transition to a life after divorce. By Diana Shepherd, CDFA ™ Regardless of whether or not you were ever legally married, all parents have an obligation to support their children. The decision to start, raise and provide for a family doesn't end just because the marriage did. When you separate, child support spells out how financial costs associated with raising your children will be managed and shared during life after divorce. In ...
5 Critical Issues Your Separation and Divorce Needs to Address
Regardless of whether you end up negotiating your divorce settlement or duking it out in litigation with your ex, these 5 critical issues need to be addressed in your separation and divorce. By M. Marcy Jones There are many ways to get divorced, but no matter how you end your relationship legally there are 5 issues that need to be considered and incorporated into your separation and divorce. These issues are custody, visitation, child support, property division, and spousal support. Keep in mind that every state has different laws, so the information here is generic but should be general...
The Difference between Legal and Physical Custody
Custody can be a very emotional issue for parents. Figuring out the best custody arrangements for your children and family is best served when you don’t let the legal terms confuse you. Demystify the difference between legal and physical custody so you can set up the best parenting schedule that works for your family. By M. Marcy Jones Sometimes divorcing parents get hung up on the legal terminology surrounding child custody without really understanding it. This lack of understanding can make it harder to reach a lasting and respectful agreement. The most important distinction is be...
Questions to Ask before Creating Your Parenting Plan
A well-crafted parenting plan is a necessity for successful co-parenting after divorce. Knowing the answers to these key questions can help you create a parenting plan that will serve your children now and in the future. By Donald A. Gordon Ph.D. and Jack Arbuthnot Ph.D. There are several important issues you should think about as you design your parenting plan. Guiding Questions for Parenting Plans What goals for your children do you both share? How will you continue to be effective parents in separate households? Do you only want to solve your legal matters, or also your fam...
Child Custody Criteria Used by the Courts
Child custody is a huge issue for divorcing parents that can raise a lot of conflict. If it is necessary to go to court to get your divorce settled, here are some of the criteria judges typically use in determining who gets child custody. By M. Marcy Jones Child custody can be a highly emotional and charged issue in getting divorced. Ideally it is best when the divorcing parents can work it out how to custody of their children, visitation and decision-making about their children should work between themselves. But in some cases your attorneys are not able to negotiate or mediate how to a...
Child Custody: An Overview
Child custody is one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make in your separation agreement. Here is an overview of how child custody works and some of the main definitions you’ll want to know. By Diana Shepherd, CDFA The first thing you need to know about child custody is that it has two components: legal and physical. Although the terms may vary between jurisdictions, generally speaking, sole legal custody means that one parent has the legal authority make all major decisions involving his/her children – including where they will go to school, which elective surgerie...
Child Custody and Visitation after Divorce
Custody of your children is a critical issue in divorce. Regular visitation is an important way to help your children adjust after divorce and keep strong, healthy relationships with both parents. By Carolyn Ellis When child custody and visitation is handled well, one of the major sources of long-term emotional fallout of divorce on children can be avoided. Too often warring parents create custody battles or use visitation as a weapon against a former spouse. The ones who suffer from those kind of adversarial tactics are the children. Here are some essential custody and visitation doâ...
How Child Custody Affects Child Support
Child support guidelines specify the amount of child support to be paid to the custodial parent by the non-custodial parent. However, the amount of child support paid can vary depending on the amount of time you have your children. By Diana Shepherd, CDFA The Child Support Guideline amounts are intended for children who reside primarily with one parent. However, the amount of time the children reside with each parent could affect the amount of child support payable. In many jurisdictions, if one parent has the children less than 40% of the time (and the other more than 60% of the time), ...