How child support can affect the co-parenting relationship

Parents who get a divorce might struggle with money issues. In fact, finances might be one of the main reasons a marriage ends. Despite this fact, it may be better for people’s co-parenting relationship if they try to work out issues between themselves instead of going straight to a legal solution.

This issue arose for one man who was struggling to pay child support. He was also in the process of attempting to restructure debts as part of filing for bankruptcy. However, when he told his wife he would be unable to pay child support for a time, she did not wish to cooperate informally. Instead, she filed with the attorney general’s office.

As a result, the man was unable to get a restructured bankruptcy and had to give up his home. Later, he was unable to get a new car to replace one that had been totaled. These incidents all served to make it more difficult for him to get a job, commute to work and see his children. However, the man still advises that for the sake of co-parenting, it is best for parents to try to forgive one another and continue working toward the children’s best interests.

If there is a formal child support agreement in place, but a parent is struggling to keep up the payments, it is possible for him or her to go to court and ask for a modification based on changed circumstances, such as a change in income. A person should take this action sooner rather than later so his or her back payments do not add up and before the other parent takes additional action as happened in the above example. Even if parents make an informal agreement to reduce the amount of child support one pays the other, if the legal agreement is not changed, a person will still owe the same amount.