A parenting plan outlines how separated parents will raise their children. It is required by family courts in divorce cases and often required for other types of cases involving child custody.
Parents should try to agree on a plan since they know their children best.
If you cannot agree with the other parent, the family court will create a plan for you. You should still submit a plan on your own to demonstrate what you think would be best for your children.
Visualize your schedule. Get a written parenting plan. Calculate your parenting time.
Before you sit down to create a parenting plan, you must know what's required. Check your state's parenting plan guidelines.
A parenting plan must indicate for each child:
Additionally, the following information is often included:
The more detailed your parenting plan, the smoother co-parenting will go. The court wants to see how your plan will create a stable, supportive environment for your children.
Many parents find it useful to use custody software, such as Custody X Change, which provides a comprehensive parenting plan template. You can customize the plan so it covers the issues important to your family.
The biggest mistake you can make is to put the parents' needs ahead of the children's needs. The court wants to see that you and the other parent are working together in your children's best interests.
Other mistakes to avoid include:
Custody X Change guides you through each part of a plan so you steer clear of these issues.
Ideally, parents work together to prepare a plan for court, but you can make a plan yourself if the other parent won't cooperate.
The court will adopt the best plan for the children, so if yours meets the children's needs, it get implemented despite what the other parent wants.
Here are 10 things a judge assesses when deciding on a parenting plan:
Each parent can prepare a plan to present in court. The plan that best represents the children's needs will be approved, perhaps with adjustments by the judge.
If the other parent submits a plan but you do not, the court may well approve their plan. This is why it's always beneficial to prepare a plan, either on your own or with the other parent.
Creating a parenting plan on your own can feel overwhelming. You have to be sure to use airtight legal language and can't omit any required information.
Use technology to take the guesswork out of the equation. The Custody X Change app walks you through each step of creating a comprehensive parenting plan.
The result is a professional document that demonstrates your competence as a parent and secures your child's future.
The easiest and most reliable way to make a parenting plan is with Custody X Change.
Visualize your schedule. Get a written parenting plan. Calculate your parenting time.
