Co-parenting and Paying For Back-To-School Items

Some divorced parents in North Carolina will have occasional disputes relating to raising their children. One of these issues may involve the financial responsibility for paying for their children’s back-to-school costs. If parents are careful to anticipate these types of potential issues during their divorces, they may be able to create better parenting plans.

Back-to-school expenses can be a huge cost every year. Children may need new clothing, shoes and school supplies, and the costs can quickly mount. Divorced parents may argue about who should be responsible for paying these expenses. If there is not an agreement in place covering these types of costs, parents might want to decide based on their particular type of parenting and custody arrangements.

Many ex-spouses are now agreeing to shared-parenting custody plans. With shared parenting, the children spend roughly equal amounts of time with both parents. If the parents have this type of arrangement, they should each contribute toward the back-to-school expenses either equally or according to their relative incomes. If one parent pays child support to a custodial parent, the later should pay for the back-to-school expenses. Child support should include amounts for the children’s needs, including back-to-school costs.

Child custody and support issues may arise long after divorces are over. By being careful with the parenting plans, ex-spouses may create more comprehensive agreements that anticipate potential problems and outline how they will be handled. This can help to keep the parents’ relationship smoother so that they can stay focused on the best interests of their children. Family law attorneys may help parents to identify various areas that could be addressed in parenting plans.

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