So you have found yourself in an undesirable situation where divorce has become a topic of conversation. The conversation becomes more and more frequent. It’s overwhelming to say the least. Once you and your spouse have come to the conclusion that divorce is the best route for you both, you begin to seek the help of an experienced legal professional.
The most difficult topic after deciding to part ways is the conversation about the children. Who do they stay with? How long do they stay? What does that look like for you and the children? Those are the questions that become front and center as parents care for the wellbeing of their children. There are specific questions that you will want to ask your lawyer.
Here is a list of questions to ask about child custody: what is the definition of each custody ruling? From there, how much time do the children spend with each parent? How much child support is required for our specific custody ruling? How do we make sure the children are well taken care of and safe?
What is the definition of each custody ruling?
There are four different types of custody: joint custody, sole custody, full custody, and split custody. All of these have different meanings and can be confusing at first.
Joint custody is probably the most common split. It’s where both parents are pretty equally involved in the children’s lives physically and with decision making. Sole custody is when one parent is given complete custody physically and with all major life decisions. Full custody is similar to sole custody, only in this case, the other parent is able to have visitation periods. Split custody is the least common, where the children are split between both parents.
The very best thing to do is ask questions and have your lawyer really give you as many details as they can so that you can make the best decision for your children. Make sure your lawyer is clear and precise on what that will actually look like for your future ahead.
How much time do the children spend with each parent?
The amount of time will depend on the custody ruling. Each custody split comes with different regulations on when and where the children will remain.
Joint custody means 50/50 time split between both parents.
Sole custody means they are with one parent 100% of the time.
Full custody is the most difficult to anticipate exactly how much time will be with the other parent because they will be entitled to visitation rights. Most commonly every weekend or every other weekend will be the frequency.
How much child support is required?
Child support questions are very important to inquire about. When the main provider of the family has the children a certain amount of time during the month, and makes a certain amount of income each month, that is all calculated to be able to come to a reasonable agreement on what would be expected as financial child support paid to the other parent. All calculations are different because all people will have different situations. You can read more in depth about how child support is calculated in Ohio here.
How do we make sure the children are safe and well taken care of?
Typically, we all want what’s best for our children. The best way to go about this difficult type of situation is to think of the children first. It’s best for the children that they are well-raised and taken care of by both parents where that means steady child support, supportive and loving household at both homes, and a healthy environment regardless of location. These children need to feel safe in whatever situation they find themselves in.