Law Office of Joanne Kleiner

Archives for August 2022

Aug 09

The Benefits of Parallel Parenting After a Divorce

Reasons to Consider Parallel Parenting After Your Divorce

Although the divorce rate in the United States has been dropping for about 20 years, nearly 39% of first marriages end in a divorce. Many of these marriages include young children, and conflict around parenting and child custody is one of the primary areas of contention discussed with a divorce lawyer. One way that divorcing couples can reduce stress and conflict and minimize time in the courtroom is to create a plan for parallel parenting of their children.

What Is Parallel Parenting?

Parallel parenting is a method of raising children in which the divorced parents minimize interactions with each other. Instead of arguing with each other, they focus their time and energy on their children. This is an effective parenting method when you and your ex-spouse have difficulty being civil with each other.

How Does Parallel Parenting Differ From Co-Parenting?

In a co-parenting situation, parents regularly communicate with each other, present a united front, and have similar rules at each residence. It involves a lot of cooperation and communication. Parallel parenting divides parenting responsibilities and minimizes interactions between the adults. By dividing responsibilities and following the plan, the parents may rarely need to interact with each other.

Who Should Consider Parallel Parenting?

Divorced couples who can’t seem to agree on anything should consider developing a parallel parenting plan with a divorce lawyer. Instead of focusing on problems with each other, this plan focuses on the well-being of the children. Minimizing interaction between the divorced parents also reduces stress and the amount of time that is spent in a courtroom.

How Does Parallel Parenting Benefit Divorcing Parents?

A parallel parenting plan allows both parents to remain active in their children’s lives. It minimizes the stress on each other and disruption for the children. A successful parallel parenting plan demonstrates that parents can focus on what’s best for their children instead of their disagreements, dislike, or distrust for each other. The plan creates guidance for common issues that are likely to breed conflict, such as where children will spend the holidays or which parent will deal with behavioral problems at school. A well-thought parallel parenting plan also makes it easier for divorced parents to move on with their lives after a marriage filled with conflict and arguments.

How Do Children Benefit from Parallel Parenting?

When parents establish a parallel parenting plan, children tend to develop fewer behavioral and emotional problems. They’re more likely to do better in school, develop strong friendships, and have positive relationships with each parent. Parallel parenting also helps children build better self-esteem, and they may be able to avoid feeling as if they were the cause of their parents’ marital problems or the reason for the divorce.

What Should I Include in a Parallel Parenting Plan?

A plan for parallel parenting should include as many specifics as possible. Although you can’t possibly anticipate every event or emergency that could occur with your child or ex-spouse, some elements that you should cover include the start and end of each parent’s visiting time, how and where your child will be exchanged, who is responsible for transporting your child, what happens if one parent misses or cancels their scheduled visit and when each parent has exclusive decision-making power. Some other aspects of parenting to add to your plan include who will take your child to medical and dental appointments, how to handle accidents and injuries, scheduling social, school, and religious activities, and dealing with behavioral issues and daily routines.

If you’re considering a divorce and would like to know more about parallel parenting, you may benefit from speaking with a divorce lawyer. Contact the Law Office of Joanne Kleiner in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, at (215) 886-1266, or enter your information into our contact form, and an associate will reach out to you to schedule a consultation.

Aug 05

How Will a Divorce Impact My Financial Future?

How Will Divorce Affect My Finances?

Money is among the top three reasons why people choose to divorce. Unfortunately, the process of divorce itself can cause significant financial difficulties for one or both parties, as net worth typically drops by at least 50%. Divorce has immediate, short-term and long-lasting impacts on your finances, but working with a divorce lawyer and using an out-of-court mediation or collaborative process may help mitigate the effects of divorce on your bottom line.

Paying for a Divorce

Using an alternative dispute resolution process helps you stay out of the courtroom during divorce proceedings. However, you’ll still have to pay for legal representation, court fees and other expenses related to the divorce, such as document preparation fees. Depending on the length of your divorce process, how long it takes you and your spouse to agree to terms and whether or not there are child custody issues, paying for a divorce may be a considerable expense. Some people need to take out personal loans in order to pay for these costs.

Increased Costs of Living on Your Own

During a marriage, the costs of housing, utilities and food are typically shared. Maintaining two separate households costs more than one larger household in most situations. After a divorce, at least one party typically moves out of the family home. If you’re the one moving into a new residence, you’ll have to come up with the funds for a security deposit, utility deposits and more.

Lower Standard of Living

After a divorce, your standard of living is likely to drop. You may have less disposable income for restaurants, clothing and other niceties. Many people have to downgrade their vehicles, move to a lower-cost neighborhood or a smaller home and forego services, such as cable, television subscriptions or gym memberships. If you were a stay-at-home parent, your lifestyle could change drastically if you have to search for a job after being out of the workforce for a while.

Decrease of Your Net Worth

Your net worth includes real estate, investments, vehicles, jewelry, cash and other items of value. In most divorces, those assets are split between the two parties. Your net worth may drop by 50% or more. If you must pay spousal or child support, or if the court awards your ex-spouse more than 50% of the marital assets, your net worth could drop even further. With a lower net worth, you might find it more difficult to borrow money for personal needs, take on a mortgage or secure a business loan.

Difficulty With Sudden, Unexpected or Large Expenses

Married couples often have two incomes, which makes a sudden or unexpected expense less of a catastrophe. For example, when a married couple needs to replace the roof on their home, securing a loan or paying for the roof with monthly payments or cash on hand is usually a doable situation. If you had to pay to replace a leaking roof on just one income, the situation could be more challenging. You’ll also need to consider how divorce will impact other large expenses, such as paying for a child’s college education, replacing a vehicle or getting a new furnace.

Depleted Savings and Investments for Retirement

Pensions, Social Security benefits, stocks, investments and retirement accounts are all counted by the court when determining assets. Your ex-spouse may claim part of your pension funds, leaving you with less money for retirement. Many people dip into their 401(k) accounts in order to pay for their legal expenses or to purchase a new residence after a divorce. Depleting your retirement account may incur penalties and fees, especially if you’re younger than age 59 1/2. Your emergency fund may be depleted, and restoring it on your income alone could be a difficult task.

If you’re considering a divorce and have concerns about the financial impacts, you may benefit from an appointment with a Pennsylvania divorce lawyer. Call the Law Office of Joanne Kleiner at (215) 886-1266, or fill out our contact form to request a confidential consultation today.