Keeping Your Children Happy During A Divorce

In most states, child support is always awarded to the primary custodial parent. If parents have joint placement and custody, and both parents make close to equal wages, support is not granted. Other unusual custody arrangements may warrant the award of child support to one parent. However, child support rarely covers all of a child's needs and expenses. In fact, even with an equal contribution by both parents for the same daily monetary allotment, the amount barely covers what children eat in a day, let alone clothing, housing, activities, etc. Here is how to provide for the rest of your children's needs during and after your divorce.

Medical Needs

A court does not decide who provides for a child's medical needs. Usually, the parents have to decide who will carry the children on their medical insurance. The better medical insurance plan for the children is often the one that supports their medical needs. You will have to show the judge in court who has the best plan and make a formal request for that parent to place/keep the children on his/her medical insurance. You should hire a child support lawyer to word these addenda to your divorce agreement so that there are no loopholes through which your ex can slip and avoid responsibility.

Dental Needs

Likewise, you should agree to a plan that covers your child's dental needs as well. This should also cover any orthodontic work the child may need in the future. You would be surprised to find how many parents try to get out of paying for braces by claiming it is not a medically necessary procedure when their child's teeth clearly show otherwise.

Vision Needs

If you or your ex have glasses, there is a good chance that one or more of your children may develop vision problems later on. Most health insurance plans rarely have vision insurance, so you need to ask your lawyer to specify the vision needs as a shared expense. Eye exams are not that expensive, but prescription glasses are. These are not expenses you want to shoulder entirely on your own, and child support is not enough to pay for exams and glasses.

Clothing

Most lawyers and judges will tell you that each parent needs to be responsible for the kids' clothing at each residence. That means that the clothing you buy the kids should not have to travel to and fro and be used at the other parent's home. They should have one set of clothes at your house, and one set at the other parent's. In the event that the clothing heads to another parent's house, the other parent should return it in a timely fashion. This has to be put in writing or you may never see all the clothes you bought again