Divorcing parents in California will need to address key points in their parenting plans to ensure that their co-parenting relationship is peaceful for many years to come. The problem is, every parent and child’s situation is unique, so it’s not always clear which points need to be addressed in a parenting plan. It takes training and experience in family law and divorce law issues to draft a well-crafted and lawful parenting agreement.
At our law firm, we always take the time to educate our clients on the most important issues to pin down in a parenting plan. It’s important that these issues be codified — with both parents in agreement — while also maintaining a certain amount of flexibility in the event that changes are required later on down the road.
Here are three issues that nearly all parenting plans will need to address:
Where will the children live?
The parents need to determine whether one parent will be the full-time caretaker of the children or if the children will divide their time between two homes. Sometimes, the children will have one primary residence and one secondary residence, for example, and it’s vital to clearly indicate how these arrangements are to be made.
How will visitations happen?
In the case of one custodial parent and one noncustodial parent, the parents must codify clearly and precisely the visitation arrangements with the noncustodial parent. Will the children visit with the custodial parent every other weekend, for example? Will it be a one day and one night per week schedule or some other kind of arrangement?
How will the parents make decisions?
The co-parents will frequently need to make decisions with one another. The parents should, therefore, lay down some terms about how to communicate with one another before these decisions are made.
If you’re ready to devise a well-crafted parenting plan that is uniquely tailored to your situation and needs, there are more issues that you’ll need to clarify than those referenced above. Learn more about child custody and parenting plans by visiting our website now.