Coparenting with your ex may be best for the children, but it can also be complex for the adults involved. Your children deserve the best of both of you, but how you care for their needs financially may change depending on the agreement between you and your former spouse.
Financial decisions may feel difficult within marriage and once divorced, they become more complicated. Fortunately, there are methods you can use to keep the financial obligations fair.
Start with communication
When sharing expenses with your ex, you need to communicate often. For communication to work, you have to be willing to hear the other parent’s point of view. Do not view it as a competition or you winning over him or her. Discuss the expenses and how you want to divide them. If discussions turn from amicable, do not continue them. In some cases, you may need help with the conversation.
Create a system
The best way to handle financial decisions is to have a system in place. You cannot plan for every expense, but you can prepare for the types of costs that may arise. For example, you can plan who may pay if the children want to be on a sports team or extra activities. You should consider income when it comes to your children’s expenses. For instance, if your spouse makes more money than you do, he or she may pay more of the costs. Likewise, if you feel strongly about specific activities but your former spouse does not, you may want to pay for it and allow the other parent to pay for the things he or she feels passionate about.
When it comes to financial decisions, be careful not to put stress on your children. If you cannot afford an activity, you can carefully bring up your finances, but do not place them in the middle.
