Tips for Successful Co-Parenting

A couple plays with a small child by swinging them by the hands

A main concern for divorced or separated parents is creating a co-parenting schedule that works year 'round, through school schedules, breaks in the school year, special events, holidays, birthdays, vacations, and more. A good co-parenting schedule can alleviate the stress and tension of navigating schedules with careful planning and organizing, as well as some compromise along the way. If you need help creating a co-parenting schedule that works for you and your child's other parent as well as your children, our network of dedicated, experienced family law attorneys can help you prepare for meetings to create a co-parenting schedule that protects your rights, outlines responsibilities of all involved, and helps you plan and organize a co-parenting plan. Learn more about all the benefits of becoming a member of our Legal Protection Plans for Individuals and Families, and read on for some tips for creating a co-parenting plan that will work for you.

Communication Is Key

Working together with your child's other parent will be crucial to creating a co-parenting plan that works for everyone. Start the discussions about co-parenting early in the process, making lists of important yearly dates for each of you, vacation times if you know them, how to handle school breaks, and more. Consider creating a shared calendar where events and other important happenings can be noted, as well as any other important scheduling (such as school drop off and pick up).

Respect & Compassion

Agreeing not to speak poorly of the other parent and show respect - especially in front of your children - is extremely important to co-parenting your child. Be willing to compromise, show compassion, and be understanding when things don't go as planned. Every decision you make around your child will impact them.

Be Willing To Revisit The Co-Parenting Plan

Situations change and kids grow up, and, as those things happen - and they will! - be willing to come back to the negotiating table and make changes to the co-parenting plan that will make everyone's lives easier. Be willing to adapt to your child's changing schedules, extra curricular activities, interests, and hobbies, as well.

Calendars Are Important Tools

Technology allows us to now have digital calendars that can be shared and edited by anyone in the group, and these are a great way to keep everyone in the loop regarding plans. Making a hard copy to keep in each home isn't a bad idea, either, particularly if you or your family isn't tech savvy.

Agree On House Rules

Children need consistency, and one of the most important areas where things need to be consistent is house rules. These rules can run the gamut from when it is appropriate to watch TV or browse the Internet, time limits on video games and related activities, how and when homework needs to be done, and more. Being lenient with the rules can cause stress in the children and be problematic in both households, as one parent may be seen as "more strict" than the other if the rules aren't enforced consistently in both homes.

Big Picture

In the end, the most important thing is to make your time with your children as stress-free as possible so that you can make treasured memories with your children while you're together instead of focusing on annoyances, slights, or irritations from the other parent, which only causes resentment and isn't productive. Try to make your time with your child about spending time with them first and foremost; the time goes by too quickly!

If you need advice or assistance with creating a co-parenting plan, custody issues, visitation, or child support, the family law attorneys in our network of law firms across the US and Canada can help! Getting advice from a legal professional whenever you're dealing with issues surrounding your children is of the utmost importance, and you can get advice tailored to your specific situation for no additional fee when you become a member of our Legal protection Plans for Individuals & Families.

Changing A Child Support Agreement

A child in a red dress swings from the hands of adults

Child support agreements are legal documents that are often put in place to make sure that children and those who care for them have access to financial resources needed for shelter, food, clothing, education, health care, and more. But as situations (and the children) grow and change, so, too, does the need to change or amend child support agreements. These changes need not be stressful; communicating and working together toward a successful outcome with the best interests of the children in mind can mean that changes to a child support order can be done easily. Failing to communicate or an unwillingness to compromise can lead to broken agreements, resentment, and a loss of time and money for both parties if the disagreement goes to court. If you need to make adjustments to your child support agreement - or make one in the first place - your provider attorney will be able to assist you in all phases of the process, as well as with other areas of family and personal law through our Legal Subscription Plans.

How Are Child Support Agreements Made?

When parents separate, one parent may become the sole or primary care giver and the child lives with that parent. The parent that does not live with the child usually has some kind of financial obligation to pay toward the care of their child. How much the non-custodial parent pays varies based on state-to-state guidelines. The income of both parents is taken into account and the needs to the child or children involved is also considered. Taking that information, a judge decides on an amount for the on-custodial parent to pay in child support.

Another way that child support agreements can be made is when the parents work together and reach their own arrangement for child support. This plan is then given to a judge to review and put in place officially and legally. If the parents have trouble communicating with each other for one reason or another, they also have the option of negotiating through mediation or other alternative dispute resolution services. Regardless of how the agreement is reached, it must always be approved by a judge in family court.

Reasons A Child Support Arrangement Can Be Changed

The lives of parents and children can change over time, and, depending on what those changes are, it may be a good idea to review or change a child support agreement. Some common reasons for amending a child support agreement are:

• A change in employment by one or both parents

• A change in the child's expenses or needs

• One parent has another child from another relationship

• One or both parents remarry

• A change to parenting time

This last item is important to look at a little more closely. If one parent takes on more parenting responsibilities in the care of a child they may be entitled to seek a lesser child support amount in relation to the increased time and/or money spent contributing to their child's care.

Just like when the original agreement was made, parents have the option of reaching their own agreement to take to the judge for approval. When one parent seeks a change independent of the other parent, the parent seeking the change will have to file a motion with the family court to make a change to the existing agreement, and then that request will have to be approved by a judge.

Legal Help For Changing Child Support Orders

A child support order is an important matter for parents, and, while it is important for both parents to work together towards an agreement if it is at all possible, it is also important that you have expert advice to make sure that the new agreement will protect the rights and responsibilities of all the parties involved, most importantly, the children. It is crucial that the new agreement is legal and will be approved by the court.

Divorce is almost always stressful to one degree or another, and more so when children are involved. Parents usually need legal advice while going through the process of divorce and figuring out what works for them and their children in terms of custody and financial support. While having a lawyer on retainer is often outside the budget for many people, with our Legal Subscription Plans for Individuals and Families, you can work with your provider attorney for all your family law issues - including child support, child custody, divorce, alimony, and more - for just one low, monthly fee of $29.95. You will be able to contact your attorney 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, have telephone consultations, document review, and more. Learn more about the benefits of membership in our legal protection plans or sign up today!

Younger Americans Are Planning For The Future

A person sits at a desk with a tablet, laptop, and files and draws a graph in a journal

One of the most important documents you will ever need is a will, but more than half of all Americans will pass away without one. Younger people tend to believe that they do not need to worry about a will until they are older, but having these documents in place can help if something unexpected happens, including having your wishes known to medical personnel if you should become incapacitated and unable to voice those decisions yourself. Members of our legal subscription plans get wills, living wills, trusts, and advance directives included with their membership at no additional cost, and more and more younger people are interested in making sure their final wishes are legally enforceable if needed; in fact, in the last year, the percentage of Millennials and Gen Z who have created a will has gone up from 18% to 27%. The consequences from not having a will can be overwhelming for your family. Here's what happens when you die without a will:

You Have No Control Over Your Assets

Your house, vehicles, jewelry, art, furniture, family photos, and other valuables will be divided up by your state's probate court.

You Have No Say In What Happens To Minor Children

If you are expecting or have children, it is critical that you have a legally enforceable will. If you do not have one, where your children live and who takes care of them will be decided by the state.

You Have No Say in What Happens to Your Pets

If you do not have a will that includes who should care for your pets and how they will be cared for, again, a court will decide, and that can include someone appointed by the court, and that could include a shelter.

You Have No Say in What Happens to Your Money

Without a will, the state will decide what happens to any savings you may have. Any charities that you support will probably not be considered.

If you're ready to make your will and have your decisions created into a legally-enforceable document in your state, here are a few tips to get you started:

• If you have children, decide who you want to care for them in a worst-case scenario. Who could realistically care for them? Talk with those who you think might be good candidates for taking care of your minor children and make sure that they are willing to do so.

• Where would you like your belongings to go? Who inherits your home, your vehicles, and other assets? What about family heirlooms?

• Who would be the best choice to care for your pets? What do you want to happen to your remaining money? Parents usually earmark money to care for their children, but those without kids may want to designate a favorite charity, an alma mater, or some other worthy cause.

• One thing that many people don't think about in this age of technology is what should happen to your public profiles on social media or even your computer files and hard drives. A will is a way you can designate someone you trust to take care of your digital persona if you are unable to.

• Consult with a lawyer. Handwritten or typed wills are generally not legally enforceable, so talking with a lawyer who is familiar with probate laws in your state to go over your plan and your situation is a great choice to make sure that not only are your wishes documented, but that your state will recognize them legally. As a member of our legal subscription plans, you can start creating your will the first day you're a member and have your attorney review everything in a matter of days.

Death isn't a fun topic to think about, but planning ahead for the future can alleviate stress on your family and loved ones at a difficult time. Learn more about all the benefits of membership in our legal subscription plans, or sign up today to get started on your will.