Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Guide To:
Parenting Plans
Financially Smart Divorce
For more than 25 years you have witnessed Gail Vaz-Oxlade's trademark straight-up money wisdom, both on Radio and Television, most notably as host of TVs Till Debt Do Us Part, Princess and Money Moron. Gail is a best-selling Canadian financial author.
Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Guide To
Parenting Plans
Financially Smart Divorce
Parenting Plans in Ontario
Writing a parenting plan is a big deal and also a significant task. It is a major section in your Separation Agreement.
There are many topics to consider when writing a parenting plan. From how you and your child’s other parent will make important decisions, where the kids will live, to when and where your child will eat dinner every day, parenting plans can be a wide-ranging document.
A good Parenting Plan will clearly describe how you and your child’s other parent will handle parenting together and how exactly to raise your children after getting divorced. A well-written parenting plan will make raising your kids after divorce much easier because it will act as a clear point of reference for what steps you each need to to take as you manage various parenting situations.
Your Plan should map out how you and your ex will communicate and how you will resolve issues without unnecessary conflict or consequences that will affect your children. The most important thing to keep in mind when creating your Parenting Plan is to keep every issue about your children and their personal well-being.
What makes a Good Parenting Plan?
A Parenting Plans is a legal document. It is the written agreement that maps out how you and your ex spouse, will still parent together. Your parenting plan will focus on such parenting arrangement as:
- child support and providing for your children’s needs
- how decisions about the children are made
- how information is shared between both parents
- where the children will live and when each parent will spend time with the child
- how children will have access to grandparents and other relatives
- how and where holidays and special occasions will be spent
- how new partners will be introduced to the children
- how other parenting issues may be addressed.
A good Parenting Plan is created first and foremost with the children’s interests and needs in mind. When negotiated and prepared properly, it will help to reduce conflict between you and your ex-spouse by setting out clear guidelines and expectations.
The Unofficial Rules of Divorce:
- Divorce gets prickly, even in the most amicable situation
- It’s often less about the legalities and more about the money
- People make expensive mistakes because they don’t make a plan
- Before you do anything, understand your rights, obligations & complexities
The Unofficial Rules of Divorce:
- Divorce gets prickly, even in the most amicable situation
- It’s often less about the legalities and more about the money
- People make expensive mistakes because they don’t make a plan
- Before you do anything, understand your rights, obligations & complexities
What is a Parenting Plan?
A parenting plan is a detailed document that outlines how separated or divorced parents will share the responsibilities of raising their children. This plan is typically part of a legal agreement or court order and addresses various aspects of co-parenting to ensure the well-being of the children. The goal of a parenting plan is to establish clear guidelines and expectations for both parents regarding the upbringing of their children.
Child Support & Parenting Plans Ontario
Child Support in Ontario must be calculated according to the Ontario Child Support Guidelines. Both parents maintain the responsibility of financially supporting their children and that support is based on your income and the number of children involved. Child support will continue until your children are 18 years old or until they have completed their post-secondary education.
In Ontario, the government has created an office called the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), which enforces support payments if necessary. The FRO will require paying parents to make all support payments to the FRO who will, in turn, send the payment to the other parent.
If any payments are missed, the Family Responsibility Office will take action to enforce the order or agreement which can include the garnishing of wages, registering a lien against a property, taking money from a bank account, ordering a collection, cancelling a passport or suspending a driver’s license.
“Research has proven that children cope better with their parents’ separation if parents co-operate while negotiating their settlement arrangements (as opposed to litigating) and while preparing their Parenting Plan.”