Parents involved in a divorce have a lot on their plates to figure out and plan ahead for. There is so much paperwork to wade through, and so many decisions to make, so should come as no surprise that sometimes things slip through the cracks. However we’d like to help you figure out one of the very important things you need to address right now – your child support, by filling in a few of the gaps. Because let’s face it, you’ve got a lot going on right now, and sometimes planning ahead for the distant future can feel like too much to take on right now. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

State guidelines determine the starting point for child support

The base child support calculations are done using guidelines determined by the state of Michigan. After that, however, the decisions will be made by you and your spouse (or by the court, if the two of you can’t agree). So if you’re going to have to make some financial decisions about your children’s future, you may as well have as much info as possible so you can make informed choices. 

• Future Education:

Most parents want their kids to be able to go to college when they graduate high school. But good schools aren’t cheap these days, and planning ahead is very important, as not every kid is going to be lucky enough to get a scholarship, or some other kind of funding to ease the financial burden. So make sure you discuss your children’s future education with your spouse when figuring out your child support agreement. It would be terrible if your kids missed out on a good future education because planning for it got missed.

• Medical Expenses:

Between prescriptions, hospital stays, doctor’s visits, insurance costs, and potentially even ambulance bills, there can be a lot of money involved in a child’s medical expenses. But who’s going to pay for it all? Are you responsible for all of it, or are you and your spouse going to split the costs? And what about your child’s insurance? Is that provided by your or your soon-to-be-ex’s job? Do you have insurance provided by the state, or is it paid for out of pocket? This is something very important you and your spouse will need to figure out when dealing with child support, so that it doesn’t come as a nasty surprise down the road when you’re least prepared to handle a sudden and unexpected medical bill.

• Summer Activities:

Whether your kids go to summer camp, or spend time in day care, they’re going to have things going on during spring break and over the summer months that will cost you money. Many summer camps, day care facilities and after school programs only bill one parent (usually the one that registers with them) so you and your spouse will need to figure out in advance how you’re going to pay for these added expenses. Will you be taking turns to pay for seasonal activities by rotating the summers? Or will you be splitting the costs down the middle?

Getting good help with child support planning is critical!

Here at The Kronzek Firm our skilled and experienced family law attorneys can help you with every part of your divorce, from child support and custody, to alimony and division of assets. We’ve been working with people from all over mid-Michigan, including Lansing, Holt, Okemos and Dewit, for decades, and we know what you need to take into account to ensure that your children are properly cared for, both now and in the future. So call 517 886 1000 right now and make sure you’re working with a good team during your divorce.