New York High-Stakes Family Law Blog

The parenting plan is the backbone of a child custody situation. While these plans work for the child when they're created, there's a chance that those needs might change. This means that the parenting plan must be modified. You'll need to work with your ex to come up with the terms of the new parenting plan.

In some cases, small changes might not require any legal process. The modification process will usually involve larger changes, such as a new parenting time schedule if one parent has to move out of the area. Changes in which parent the child lives with most of the time and modifications in who makes which decisions will probably need legal intervention.

There are tens of billions of dollars in child support that are supposed to exchange hands each year here in New York and the rest of the United States. Custodial parents see far less than that from their exes though. Some estimates show that only half of all moms and dads who are supposed to receive child support to help them raise their children get what they've mutually agreed to with their ex or what the court has ordered.

The consequences associated with a parent not paying child support can be quite serious. Interest may be tacked on to what a noncustodial parent owes and their wages may be garnished, driver's license may get suspended and they could even end up in jail. The combination of these may hamper a nonpaying parent's ability to secure future employment.

Children have specific rights as they grow up. These don't go away just because their parents are going through a divorce. As one of the adults in the relationship, you should review these rights so that you're able to ensure your children are getting what they need.

One of the most important things to remember is that your children need to continue to build relationships with family members. The divorce is between you and your ex, but your child should still have meaningful relationships with you and your ex. They also need to know extended family members, but they may feel unsure of how each parent will feel about this. Be sure you're encouraging them to do this.

Many parents who face divorce share concern over the effect their divorce could have on their children. There is no denying that children usually thrive with routine and stability, which are usually impacted by divorce. However, most children fare better than parents expect them to fare.

Some factors that might contribute to the effect divorce has on a child include the amount of parental conflict before, during and after the divorce. Other factors may include the child’s developmental stage, the child’s personality and the custody arrangement.