Divorce with your kids in the mix is a complicated subject and remains one long after the divorce process finishes. While there are a few common strategies, sharing custody of your children with your spouse is unique to your situation.
While many spouses establish joint custody, others branch into custodial parents and non-custodial parents. According to the Institute for Family Studies, there are approximately 12.9 million custodial parents in the US and each has a custody agreement tailored to their family’s needs or best interests. There are key aspects in these agreements that you can focus on to help create an agreement that works best for you and your family.
Basic components of a custody agreement
The first stipulation of any custody agreement is the custody declaration—whether you or your spouse intend to take full custody or split it jointly. This division should aim to establish parental authority and decision-making abilities, as well as any contingencies in case of a conflict.
Another important facet is declaring methods to review and modify the agreement if the need arises.
Custody agreements that retain your parental rights
These divorce cases affect your children and require attention. There are 10 potential factors that affect child custody and visitation arrangements including:
- Your ability to provide for your children’s needs
- Your stability and capacity as caregiver
- Your children’s own wishes in the situation
When it comes time to create these custody agreements, it is important to obtain the best possible outcome for you, your spouse and your children. Making sure your custody agreement clears up any confusion is a good step to help that.