When married, you and your partner make financial decisions together. When it comes to your kids’ lives, you both handle their financial needs. However, after a divorce, your income changes and the two of you have to split expenses rather than share everything.
According to the U.S. News, financial disagreements often arise in divorced parents’ lives. Learning how to handle financial disagreements can help you navigate new financial circumstances.
Create a system
Create a system from the beginning that you and your ex can follow. While your parenting plan may include child support and other primary expenses, it does not always include other expenses like extracurricular activities or events that children want to attend.
For example, a part of the agreement may be paying for activities you feel strongly about. For example, if it is more important for your child to play a sport, you might want to pay the expenses.
Communicate openly
Be open to talking to your ex about the expenses. You both must come to the conversation with open minds, willing to listen to each other. Sometimes, you cannot keep to the plan about expenses. For instance, if your child wants to go on a field trip but does not have the money for it, you may want to speak with your ex about splitting the cost or explain the importance to the child. Be willing to listen to have an open dialogue where you hear each other’s points of view.
When dealing with an ex, it can be difficult to stay civil, but for the best interests of your children, you need to know how to communicate without passive aggression or close-mindedness.