Finances are among the most common disputes between divorcing couples. If the two of you have children, how can you split child expenses without a fight? According to U.S. News, there is no one financial plan for everyone. Your final plan depends on your current financial situation and relationship with your ex.
Creating a fair plan may take careful planning and forward-thinking.
Leave your kids out of financial discussions
Children do not need to know about your finances. If you do speak of money, do so carefully. Do not blame your former spouse if you cannot afford something. Kids may begin to take the blame for your anger towards your ex. Young kids tend to feel like they have to take sides. How you treat your ex and what you say around your kids can help determine how your children think about the situation. They should never be in a position to take sides. Remember that children take after both parents and they may internalize how you feel about their other parent.
Create compromises for your kids’ sake
There may be times when you have to compromise with your ex. For example, if your ex typically pays for academic expenses but you have strong feelings about an extracurricular activity, you may fit the bill for it instead. Determine the costs that matter the most to you and do not expect each other to pay for them.
Be clear in your initial parenting plan. The more details you add to the plan, the less you have to dispute over in the future. When writing your parenting plan, you can work with a third party to determine the most objectively fair route.
