Be Prepared For These 4 Life Changes That May Require Altering Your Child Custody Agreement

Over the past few months, your recent divorce has rocked your boat in far more ways than you want to consider. While getting your custody and visitation plans set in stone serves as some relief, it is important to know that life circumstances can still change and cause a need for everything to be shuffled up again. Planning for these potential future events now helps you prepare your family for what can happen down the road.

Sudden Career Changes

There are several things that can happen to you or your ex-spouse's career that interferes with visitation. Unemployment, a change in schedules, or an out-of-state job offer all may mean that your favored schedule no longer works. Since making sure that your kids get to see both of their parents is a priority, finding a new schedule that works for everyone may require some flexibility.

Serious Health Issues

While a court system will never punish a parent for falling into ill health, it is sometimes necessary to revisit the custody agreement if a long-term illness is interfering with the custodial parent's ability to provide care. For example, you may need to work with your ex-partner to find an effective plan for child care should one of you require a lengthy hospitalization.

A New Marriage

Typically, remarriage does not directly affect prior child custody and visitation agreements. However, a new marriage can sometimes generate changes that allow the non-custodial parent to take on a stronger role in their child's life. For example, a new marriage may offer stability that the current arrangement lacks. Alternatively, having a second person at home may enable the non-custodial parent to have the kids over for more time than is currently allowed in the arrangement.

Kids Growing Up

Many divorce agreements are drafted while the kids are still young, yet the kids may take on a stronger role in their arrangements as they get older. For instance, a teenager may ask to visit their non-custodial parent on a different weekend if visitation interferes with their ability to play on the football team. When this happens, it is best to try to find a compromise since it is their wellbeing that should always be the priority.

After trudging through the trenches of divorce, the last thing you may want to do is have to renegotiate everything all over again. When you see change on the horizon, talk to a family law attorney who can set things in motion while helping to prevent those little challenges that make reaching an agreement harder. This time, you can use the wisdom you gained from the first negotiations to make sure everyone finds an agreement that supports your kids' best interests. For more information, contact local professionals like Urech & Livaudais PC.