Articles Tagged with child custody

When-Co-Parenting-Styles-Differ-300x200While co-parenting after divorce has its benefits, it also presents obstacles – not only for the parents but for the children, too. Let’s face it, if you and your ex agreed on everything, chances are you wouldn’t be divorced. So, it wouldn’t be unusual for divorced parents to have different rules when it comes to raising their children.

When parenting styles differ, it can create confusion and frustration for children who split their time 50/50 between their divorced parents’ homes. In some cases, it may even cause the children to act out and lead to behavioral problems. How can you ease this confusion and make it easier for your child when you and your ex can’t get on the same page? Read “Two Homes, Two Sets of Rules” for some suggestions.

Paperwork needed for preparation of your divorce case represented by color coded file folders.Divorce can be overwhelming whether the decision is a mutual one or not. There are so many details to address and life-changing decisions to be made when you are least emotionally able to do so; being prepared and organized can help relieve some of the stress.

Gathering the necessary documents, financial statements, and other paperwork pertinent to your divorce is your first step in helping to prepare your case. Your divorce attorney can then help you navigate the process and arrive at decisions that are in the best interests of your future. For a list of the type of documents you may need, read “Divorce Checklist: Financial Paperwork You Need for Divorce.”

Young child with paper doll cutout of parents and child depicting parallel parenting arrangement after divorceIt’s no secret that children do best when both parents are involved in their lives. This holds true for children of divorce, too, and it’s the reason many divorced parents choose to co-parent as part of their custody arrangement.

Co-parenting allows parents to continue working together to raise their children even after their marriage ends. But it requires cooperation and the ability to put up a united front in matters pertaining to the children. This isn’t something all parents can do, especially if they have a tumultuous relationship and have just gone through a contentious divorce. When co-parenting continues to expose children to tension between their parents, it could have a harmful rather than healing effect.

So, what are parents to do when they want to remain active in their children’s lives but simply cannot work with their ex? Consider the alternatives, one of which is parallel parenting. To learn more about this parenting arrangement, read “What Is Parallel Parenting?

Shared-Custody-and-Taxes-FL-Blog-pic-300x200January is typically the month when we start to collect year-end tax documentation in preparation for the April tax season. While filing income taxes can be complicated for many of us, it can be especially confusing for divorced parents with children.

Shared custody arrangements can raise questions regarding which parent is eligible to claim dependents and, therefore, receive tax credits. For some guidelines on claiming dependents and tax credits when sharing custody of your children with your ex read, “How to Do Your Taxes if You Share Custody of Your Kids.”

stimulus__support_AdobeStock_408400886-300x200The government-issued stimulus checks were intended to help those eligible address some of the financial challenges brought on by the pandemic, but for divorced parents who share custody of their children and pay or receive child support, these payments have proven a major source of confusion in some cases.

Criteria used to determine eligibility in the first two rounds of stimulus payments sometimes resulted in both parents receiving payments for the same child, or receiving a stimulus payment along with additional tax credits for that child. The eligibility criteria surrounding the third stimulus payment has changed yet again, but it still affects those dealing with child custody and support agreements. To learn how read, “Child support and the third stimulus check: Let us clear up the confusion.”

co-parenting_AdobeStock_215648138-300x200

For many divorcing couples, co-parenting arrangements offer viable solutions to less-than-ideal situations by allowing each parent to maintain an active role in the parent/child relationship. These arrangements, however, are not without their challenges, and that was never more true than during the current pandemic.

Thanks to COVID-19. such questions as whether to send your child to school, allow him or her to participate in team sports, or attend an event can now elicit polarizing responses. What can parents do when strongly opposing viewpoints toward the pandemic threaten to impede their ability to honor the terms of their parenting arrangement? Read ”Co-Parenting Through COVID-19: Putting Your Children First” for some inspiration.

Best_Time_Divorce_AdobeStock_264599630-300x200A lot of questions come into play when you are contemplating a divorce. Many of those questions depend on where you are in life now. Have you and your spouse considered all your options? Are there children involved? What are their ages? Where do you stand in your career? Are you looking to change paths? Retire? The answer to any of these questions may sway your decision.

Taking steps to end a marriage you thought would last a lifetime is never easy, but is there any one time that is better than another for coming to this decision — an age at which it would be easier to recover? Read “What Is the Best Age to Get A Divorce?” to see how some experts weigh in.

Divorce_rules_AdobeStock_290827149-300x169People rarely think clearly or make their best decisions when emotionally upset and divorce ranks right up there as second on the list of life’s most stressful events. It’s no wonder because not only are you legally dissolving your marriage, but you also are experiencing an emotional separation from a way of life you’ve become used to. Sometimes that necessitates moving to a different house or neighborhood; cutting ties with extended family and friends or, at least, adjusting to the changing dynamics of those relationships; and learning to make decisions on your own where before you had a partner to help you weigh the options. All of this makes breaking up hard to do, as the song goes.

As hard as it may be, sometimes breaking up is inevitable. When it becomes obvious that divorce is the best – and quite possibly, the only – solution to marital problems, there are steps you can take to make the process a little easier so that you come out healthier on the other end. To learn more, read “6 Rules of Engagement for Your Divorce.”

Divorce-and-virus-400-04972504d-300x189

If you filed for divorce immediately prior to or during this time of COVID-19, chances are good that your case is experiencing delays. The restrictions imposed to help stop the spread of this virus have caused the closure of a number of businesses, government agencies and many courts to all but emergency cases. Not only may these restrictions be causing a delay in the final judgement on your divorce, but they are impacting a number of related issues including financial settlements, spousal and child support requests and child custody matters.

The impact COVID-19 is having on divorces and related issues is discussed in more detail in the Forbes article, “6 Ways The Coronavirus Can Infect Your Divorce – And Simple Steps To Protect Yourself.”

co-parenting-challenges-400-08017030d-300x200One of the difficult end-products of divorce is learning to navigate the unique challenges of co-parenting. Coordinating schedules and synchronizing parenting styles with your ex while dealing with your own mixed emotions and lifestyle adjustments is hard but necessary for the sake of the children.

The good news is you’re not alone; many parents before you have gone through the same situations and faced the same challenges – and you can learn from them. “8 Tips for Better Co-Parenting After Divorce” offers real-life advice from two moms who have been there.

Contact Information