Consider Your Child's Special Needs When Planning for Post-Divorce Life

IP is over the quota
IP is over the quota

May 02, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Any divorce involving children is inherently complex. Yet, parents of children with special needs face a number of unique challenges when putting their divorce arrangements in place.

A Phoenix complex custody lawyer may be your best resource for help in working out a reasonable parenting plan for your special needs child. However, even a brief introduction to some of the distinctive issues you may face can prove beneficial to both you and your child.

Visitation, Custody, Child Support and More Must be Individually Tailored

The guiding principle behind any custody and co-parenting terms in divorce settlement is the best interests of the child. Regardless of whether you come to an agreement with your former spouse about such issues, this is the standard a court will use to guide its ultimate ruling; it is the lens through which you should view divorce decisions pertaining to your child.

Precise, detail-oriented parenting plans can be very important in a divorce involving children with special needs. A comprehensive parenting plan should lay out the requirements of a special needs child's medication regiment, behavioral management strategies and necessary accommodations pertaining to physical environment. Going into as much detail as possible will prevent parenting conflicts down the road, and better ensure that your special needs child receives the consistent care he or she requires. It should also be made clear who will be responsible for making future parenting decisions -- and, if parents are to share decision-making authority, how disagreements will be settled.

Although even the minutest details cannot be glossed over where a special needs child is concerned, the big picture is equally important: visitation schedules and custody plans that work for the average family may not be adequate for your child. Structure and familiar routines can be particularly valuable to a special needs child, meaning that traditional custody staples like overnight visits or extensive travel may have to be worked around, or at least carefully scrutinized.

Finally, there are the financial aspects of the divorce to take into account. Special needs children may require costly therapy, equipment and education; this potentially means adjustments to standard child support figures, structuring allocations of marital assets such that your child will be eligible for government benefits for children with disabilities and coming to terms with other monetary realities.

Get Help From a Divorce Expert

With the wellbeing of a special needs child in your hands, there is no doubt you will have to overcome barriers above and beyond those encountered by many divorcing couples. Even so, at a fundamental level, special needs children are just like any other kids: they need their parents to express love, devotion and attention to their individualistic attributes.

If you are the parent of a special needs child and divorce is looming on the horizon, get the help you need. Contact an attorney with experience in handling divorces which involve special needs children today.

Article provided by Lasiter & Jackson
Visit us at www.lasiterlaw.com

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

# # #

Read more Press Releases from FL Web Advantage:

View the original article here

Post-Divorce Tax Benefits for Custodial Parents

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

April 22, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Divorce has a significant impact on a couple's tax liability. This is especially true if the couple has minor children.

While they are married, most couples choose to file jointly. By doing so, they are both able to benefit equally from child-related exemptions and deductions.

After the divorce, only one parent can claim a child as a dependent. Usually, the parties will assign dependent status as part divorce agreement. If they don't, then the general rule of thumb is that exemptions are properly assigned to the custodial parent -- that is, the parent the children live with most of the time.

In the rare case that the child spends equal time living with each parent, the exemption should go to the parent who provides the majority of the child's financial support.

Custodial parents receive a number of tax benefits. They include:
- Head of household status: Instead of filing as "single," the custodial parent can file as the head of household. By doing so, he or she will benefit from a higher personal exemption and a lower taxable income. In addition, the custodial parent will also benefit from having more income fall into lower tax brackets.
- Dependency exemptions and credits: Exemptions reduce the amount of income that is subject to income tax. Generally, the custodial parent can claim an exemption for each child who is either under age 19 or under age 24 and a full-time student. In addition, the custodial parent can claim a tax credit for each child under 17. Depending on the parent's income, each credit could be worth up to $1,000.
- Child care tax credits: Custodial parents can claim a tax credit for a percentage of the money they spent on daycare, babysitting, nannies or any other form of child care. The credit varies based on income, but can be worth up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more children.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit: The EITC is designed to provide an income boost for low- to moderate-income parents. The size of the credit varies based on the amount of earned income and the number of dependent children. Since child support is not taxed as income, even parents who receive a high level of support may be able to benefit from the credit.

These are just a few of the many tax consequences of divorce. It is always a good idea to seek professional help when filing a post-divorce income tax return in order to make sure that everything is handled correctly.

Article provided by Vergilis, Stenger, Roberts, Davis & Diamond, LLP
Visit us at www.vsrp.com

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

# # #

Read more Press Releases from FL Web Advantage:

View the original article here